Partner story: Rank Foundation

Partner story: Rank Foundation

Introduction

The Rank Foundation has supported two of our Fellowship programmes, as a funding and knowledge partner. The first, Communities that Work, ran in 2012-2014. The second, Enterprise for Social Impact, ran in 2017-2020.

Rita Long (CF 2014) explored ways of enabling people with bipolar disorder to access research and services Download 'Rita Long_partnerships_Rank.jpg'
“Partnering with the Churchill Fellowship gave us access to international insights." - Rank Foundation Chief Executive David Sanderson

The Rank Foundation aims to improve the lives of people and their communities across the UK by encouraging leadership and promoting enterprise and innovation. The partnership offered an opportunity to add an international dimension to the local grassroots work in which Rank specialises. It provided new ideas and models from successful approaches overseas and created a cohort of expert Fellows and change makers to help advance the Foundation’s aims across the UK.

For both these programmes, Rank provided matched funding for the Fellowships, expertise in the field, and assistance with recruiting applicants and sharing Fellows’ findings.

“Partnering with the Churchill Fellowship gave us access to international insights that complemented our grassroots activities and provided new models for progressing our goals.” - Rank Foundation Chief Executive David Sanderson

Communities that Work

The aim of this programme was to explore community regeneration through locally-led innovations. Sixty Fellowships were funded through this partnership over three years. The findings from across this programme led to a report which was launched at an MP-sponsored event at Westminster, and Fellows have gone on to impact this area on a national scale across the UK. For example, Lindsay Graham has been advocating for school-holiday food programmes for impoverished children, leading to several government-funded programmes.

Enterprise for Social Impact

The aim of this programme was to explore innovations in the use of enterprise for social good. A further 60 Fellowships were funded across this four-year partnership. The results have yet to be shared, as the final year of the programme was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Individual Fellows are already making an impact, however. For example, Eifion Williams has launched a new government-backed complementary currency in Wales to help build recovery and resilience amongst community businesses.

Rita Long (CF 2014) explored ways of enabling people with bipolar disorder to access research and services Download 'Rita Long_partnerships_Rank.jpg'
“Partnering with the Churchill Fellowship gave us access to international insights." - Rank Foundation Chief Executive David Sanderson

The Rank Foundation aims to improve the lives of people and their communities across the UK by encouraging leadership and promoting enterprise and innovation. The partnership offered an opportunity to add an international dimension to the local grassroots work in which Rank specialises. It provided new ideas and models from successful approaches overseas and created a cohort of expert Fellows and change makers to help advance the Foundation’s aims across the UK.

For both these programmes, Rank provided matched funding for the Fellowships, expertise in the field, and assistance with recruiting applicants and sharing Fellows’ findings.

“Partnering with the Churchill Fellowship gave us access to international insights that complemented our grassroots activities and provided new models for progressing our goals.” - Rank Foundation Chief Executive David Sanderson

Communities that Work

The aim of this programme was to explore community regeneration through locally-led innovations. Sixty Fellowships were funded through this partnership over three years. The findings from across this programme led to a report which was launched at an MP-sponsored event at Westminster, and Fellows have gone on to impact this area on a national scale across the UK. For example, Lindsay Graham has been advocating for school-holiday food programmes for impoverished children, leading to several government-funded programmes.

Enterprise for Social Impact

The aim of this programme was to explore innovations in the use of enterprise for social good. A further 60 Fellowships were funded across this four-year partnership. The results have yet to be shared, as the final year of the programme was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Individual Fellows are already making an impact, however. For example, Eifion Williams has launched a new government-backed complementary currency in Wales to help build recovery and resilience amongst community businesses.

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