Fair Share Trust
Fair Share Trust puts change in the hands of communities. In 2003, Big Lottery Fund (BIG) noticed that certain parts of the UK were not receiving equal amounts of their funding because they lacked the resources or experience to put together successful funding applications. So, Fair Share Trust was created when BIG put £50m into a trust. The funds were to be spent across the 80+ areas in the UK over 10 years. UK Community Foundations is the sole Trustee and delivers Fair Share Trust by working with its members and other local partners – called Local Agents –, who use their local giving expertise to make sure funding is distributed based on what communities want.
The main programme aims are to:
1. build capacity: the confidence, skills and experience of individuals and communities
2. enhance social capital: the networks, relationships and contacts of individual and organisations
3. improve liveability: the look & feel of the neighbourhood
4. create sustainability: a positive lasting legacy 
But Fair Share Trust was not just about giving grants. It was about empowering communities to take ownership and actively drive the change. In each area a panel made up of local people indentified key gaps in their areas and the outcomes they wished to achieve with the funding. These local priorities were based on consultation with communities and information gathered from local councils. Local Agents and panels then worked together to develop a grant-making strategy that met community needs.
In South Yorkshire the Fair Share Trust was managed by South Yorkshire Community Foundation. It invested £875,000 in groups and projects in each area based on the following local priorities:
Rotherham – Kimberworth Park
- To become a Centre for Health and Well Being.
- Working together to increase accessibility to existing and new services, facilities and resources.
- Community safety and the environment.
- Children and young people.
- Education/training and job creation opportunities.
Barnsley – Monk Bretton
- Building a future.
- Community pride.
- Support children and young people.
- Improve health.
Doncaster - Stainforth
- Increase opportunities and access to sport, recreation, training and employment.
- Improving resources for children and young people.
- Developing Stainforth's environment.
Click here for the full evaluation report of Fair Share Trust in South Yorkshire.
Click here to read a short case on The Youth Association in Monk Bretton Barnsley, funded through Fair Share Trust, on Annabelle one of its volunteers.
