Our vision:

A just society based on a commitment to nonviolence and environmental sustainability

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Who we are

The Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation (PPCF) is a grant-giving trust with Quaker family roots. We aim to contribute to the development of a just society based on a commitment to nonviolence and environmental sustainability. Our priority is to address systemic threats by seeking to change policy and attitudes at a national, European or international level. We do this through supporting projects that seek to develop radical alternatives to current economic and social structures, that influence values and attitudes whilst promoting equity and social justice. We recognise that our vision cannot be achieved unless it is pursued in ways that simultaneously address the chronic and often hateful social and racial injustice in society.

The time is now

This is a critical decade for the climate, and so, the planet and its inhabitants. We are teetering on the brink of a dual climate and biodiversity crises, in an increasingly insecure world. Because of this emergency, Polden Puckham believes that the time is now to support the change that is so urgently needed. We want to empower the people and projects that will make the crucial difference and achieve our shared vision. We have decided to devote all the resources of the foundation to this mission at this critical time for our future – the clock is ticking.

What we are doing

We have embarked on a strategic ‘spend down’ of our endowment over a seven year period, beginning in 2021 and winding up by 2028. This means we are making fewer, larger grants. We are supporting work in our existing funding areas of Peace and Sustainable Security and Environmental Sustainability, with a particular focus on the intersection between the two.

We are committed to:

o   supporting alternative, creative thinking and radical solutions to address the problems we face, at scale and pace

o   supporting the movements holding power to account and that advocate and press for the necessary changes

o   bringing about transformational policy and system change to achieve a just society based on a commitment to nonviolence and environmental sustainability

Peace and Sustainable Security

We support work that addresses the underlying causes of violent conflict, develops ways to prevent and resolve conflict and promotes human security.

Environmental Sustainability

We support work that addresses the pressures and conditions that contribute to climate change and global environmental breakdown.

The intersection between the two

We strongly believe that our two funding areas are inextricably linked, so are particularly interested in supporting work that reflects the interconnectedness of the issues. Without swift and radical action to address climate change and biodiversity loss, our environment will be rendered unsustainable and this will lead us further from peace and security and our vision for a just society.

Current focus and priorities - December 2023

We understand that our funding remit is very broad and that there is a great deal of very important and necessary work being undertaken that fits within it. As a small foundation we can only fund a small selection of that work. We have made close to thirty larger grants over the last two years to empower the people and projects that we consider can make a crucial difference and help to achieve our shared vision: a just society based on a commitment to nonviolence and environmental sustainability. At this stage in our strategic spend down, we are considering how we can best support the most effective and impactful of this work into the future. This means that we are not currently open to applications and will likely not advertise any open funding calls in the future.

Governance

PPCF's grant-making is managed by a board of trustees who have a wealth of experience in grant-making and who give their time freely to undertake the work of the foundation:

Angela Seay

Cindy Forde 

Dorothy Ball

Fiona Duggan

Jonathan Gillett

Simon Fisher

Stephen Pittam

They are supported by the Trust Secretary, Christine Oliver.

The day to day running of the foundation is undertaken by the Trust Secretary who works part-time, although usually over five days (Monday to Friday). Enquiries to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via the website's contact page. Telephone or Skype / Zoom calls can be arranged by appointment.