Lincolnshire Community Foundation was founded in 2002 and is dedicated to serving Greater Lincolnshire.
We’ve distributed over £24M to over 4,000 charities, community groups and organisations throughout our county. These grants have helped tackle issues such as child poverty, loneliness and isolation, food poverty, homelessness, access to services, addiction, unemployment and many other crucial local needs.
The Vision
Lincolnshire Community Foundation’s aims to create a county of thriving places where the people that live there are healthy, happy, resilient and empowered. We want to promote cohesive communities leading to a better quality of life and equality of opportunities for all, so that people are encouraged to contribute to society and fulfill their potential.
The Mission
The Lincolnshire Community Foundation is passionate about improving the lives and wellbeing of ordinary people throughout Greater Lincolnshire. We seek to achieve our mission through building long-term endowment, grant making, social investment, advice and practical support: we listen, convene, collaborate, co-create, and fund.
Meet the Team
Trustees and Staff work with local and national partners to facilitate environmental and societal change. We do this by convening and delivering a range of resources (financial and developmental) to those small, but vital charities, groups and organisations that make the greatest impact, but generally receive the least support. Our work is precise, efficient and impactful.
Sue Fortune
Sue has been with the Foundation since its inception in 2002, following a successful legal career in Durham, London and within a Local Authority. Before being appointed CEO in 2019, she spent 16 years at LCF as a Grantmaker delivering millions of pounds in grant aid to community organisations and individuals across Lincolnshire, always championing the smaller, locally led groups and organisations. Throughout this time, she managed a huge range of schemes, from micro grants to million pound place based (community led) programmes. Her work helped build long-lasting relationships and embed the Foundation’s reputation as a trusted, approachable funder and partner.
Before moving to Lincolnshire, she raised funds to support a local dog rescue charity and went on to adopt three herself. After settling in a small Lincolnshire village, she continued her fundraising efforts bringing local groups together as part of an annual fundraiser, fuelling her ambition to support communities and help others in the longer term. More recently, has discovered a penchant for travel and will regale and entertain others with her stories and adventures.
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Office: 01529 305825
Mobile: 07908 208838
Helen Kearseley - Cree
Helen started working in the VCSE sector in 1994 on an employment and skills project for (ex)offenders, which linked to her Masters in Criminology background. She then moved into community development work, still on the community safety theme, developing that project into wider social regeneration.
She has been the CEO of three different charities, two of which are defined as VCSE Local Infrastructure and the third was a Rural Community Council.
After taking a short break from the sector, she became a qualified secondary school teacher and is currently using these skills in the employer supported volunteering work she currently undertakes in schools on careers.
The GLAP (Gainsborough Local Access Programme) she manages is a national pilot, funded by Access and Big Society Capital to ‘test’ how place based enterprise development alongside local access to social investment can positively impact a defined area.
Office: 01529 305825
Mobile: 07795 093682
Claire Edwards
Claire joined the Foundation in 2021. Growing up in North East Lincolnshire, she travelled across the country as an RAF spouse, before coming back home to Lincolnshire.
Her deep connection to the people and locations in the county drives her passion. With a background in various sectors including voluntary, legal, and business, she takes pleasure in supporting all community members.
Claire actively volunteers, serving as a community responder and a member of the PTA at a local primary school.
Claire currently works on the SWEF and Household Support Fund.
Office: 01529 305825
Mobile: 07534 693652
Helen Cater
Helen has been with the Lincolnshire Community Foundation since January 2018. Before joining the foundation, Helen's background has been in project and grant scheme management and uses this experience to help administer the Community Foundation’s grant programmes which enables the Foundation to make a bigger impact in the community.
Office: 01529 305825
Mobile: 07591 916305
Katie Littlewood
Katie has a management background in the childcare sector during which time she worked with many vulnerable families and worked closely with a wide network of support services, delivering tailored care and support to those in need. She has also, for many years supported a range of voluntary organisations including The Guide Association and many committees within her local area.
Office: 01529 305825
Mobile: 07375 676593
Hayley Crawford
Hayley joined the foundation in April 2022. She has recently immigrated back to U.K from South Africa. Hayley has previously worked in the legal and private health sector. She is enjoying being back in the U.K and working with our community groups in helping our county thrive.
Office: 01529 305825
Mobile: 07939 563296
Cavan Collins
Cavan joined the Foundation in July 2022 during breaks from his study at Cardiff University. Now full-time and with a degree in Human Geography in hand, Cavan intends to use his people and place-based learning for the betterment of individuals and organisations in Greater Lincolnshire. He is fully committed to helping our local communities and looks forward to working with partners across the County to achieve this.
Office: 01529 305825
Cara Elliott
Cara supports the organisation’s financial operations to help ensure that funding reaches the people and projects that need it most. She holds an AAT Advanced Diploma in Accounting Level 3 qualification in Bookkeeping (achieved in 2021), and brings a strong focus on accuracy, organisation, and accountability to the organisation.
Before moving into finance, Cara gained valuable experience working directly with members of the public and supporting young adults with learning difficulties. These roles developed her communication skills, patience, and a deep appreciation for the positive impact that inclusive, community-focused work can have.
She is passionate about combining her financial skills with purpose-driven work that makes a real difference. Cara currently works on the delivery of the Household Support Fund, The Big Lincolnshire Welcome Fund and manages the Thonock Aspiration Fund for Schools (TAFS).
Office: 01529 305825
Our Trustees
Paul Scott
Paul, with a background in business management, previously served as a director at the Grimsby Enterprise Agency and the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies. He actively manages his own business and is deeply engaged in community development along the east coast of Lincolnshire. Paul has long been a trustee of the Community Foundation and resumed his role as chairman, currently participating in the finance sub-group committee. His areas of focus include health and social inequalities, enterprise development, and cultural heritage.
Lizzie Milligan-Manby
For many years Lizzie was attached to the Princes Trust - 10 of which as Lincolnshire chair. She now does a similar (voluntary) job for the Foundation, overseeing our Make-a-Start programme (small grants for personal development). She has expended huge amounts of energy on fund raising – not least “One Day More”: 3 days of outdoor opera at Doddington Hall.
Paula Baumber
Before signing up as a trustee, Paula was the governors who steered our original “community bank”, the cornerstone of our early endowment building. Paula worked in banking for nearly 30 years, specialising in governance and risk management. With the Foundation she leads on the development of our Domestic Abuse response: developing, commissioning and co funding service provision.
Stephen Ryder
Former Chair, Stephen, with a background in education and journalism, assumed the role of Managing Director of CPO in April 2006. His daily tasks involve overseeing the organisation and driving business development. Stephen's commitment to using education to alleviate disadvantage and poverty in local communities is evident in all endeavors undertaken by him and his team at CPO. In addition to his primary role, Stephen serves as the Community Engagement Manager for Rethink Mental Illness and chairs the Mental Health Alliance. He leads the Preventative & Early Help Strategic Board for Children's Services, participates in the Youth Partnership Board, serves as Vice Chair of the Youth Engagement Alliance and the Youth Justice Steering Group. Furthermore, he holds the position of Vice Chair for the NEL VCSE Alliance and the NEL VCSE Forum, along with being a Governor at John Whitgift Academy.
John Maitland
John was born in Lincolnshire and after a short stint in the Army, he spent his career in Financial Services both in London and abroad. After over 30 years in Banking, John ended his Executive career as CEO of Kleinwort Hambros Bank and has now returned full time to Lincolnshire. John joined the Foundation at the end of 2020 and is looking forward to helping the them move forward in the future.
Danielle Lowther
Danielle’s main reason for wanting to be part of the Foundation was the amazing work it’s undertakes to make life better for local people and organisations. Danielle currently work’s for Lincolnshire Co-op as a Senior Community Co-ordinator and is very passionate about community development especially in Lincolnshire where she has spent most of her life. Danielle has extensive experience of project/event management and networking in communities which she hopes she will be able to use her skills to contribute to the Foundation as Trustee
Craig Cooksley
