Grantee Support
MORE THAN FINANCIAL SUPPORT, TO GUIDE YOU TO SUCCESS
The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland is primarily a grantmaker. However, due to our unique and strong relationship with our sole donor Lloyds Banking Group, The Halifax Foundation have been able to offer a package of support to our grantees beyond financial. We are very proud to have worked alongside Lloyds Banking Group on a number of different initiatives aimed at strengthening good governance and operations of small charities.
To find out more or to sign up for any of the support outlined below, contact the Foundation team at: grants@halifaxfoundationni.org
The mentoring programme has been invaluable in providing me with a safe space to reflect on a range of challenges outside of ‘day-to-day delivery’
CHARITY MENTORING
In partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, we offer mentoring to our grant recipients, matching senior Lloyds Banking Group colleagues with grantees of the Foundation. Our aim is to help develop the skills of leaders in the third sector and in turn, build a connected community of like-minded changemakers.
The programme aims to provide a developmental partnership through which the Mentor supports the mentee by sharing knowledge, skills and challenges as well as offering wisdom and fresh perspective to foster the personal and professional growth of the Mentee. Our hope is that these useful sessions will in turn support the objectives of the charity.
It is a partnership based on trust and respect. Through building a development-focused relationship, the Mentor and Mentee explore issues together and seek solutions, resulting in new learning for both parties.
The Mentors were drawn from a wide range of senior and experienced Lloyds Banking Group/Halifax professionals who all gift their time to this programme.
The benefits of mentoring are reciprocal and through this process our Mentors often report a development of stronger communication, relationship management, leadership and coaching skills and further affirmation of their own value and worth. Most importantly, they report that this process offers them an enormous sense of satisfaction and a feeling of great reward when helping another professional on their career journey.
The package of support includes accreditation in Mentoring which was delivered by our partners Advance Coaching. To get involved or to find out more, contact the Foundation team at: grants@halifaxfoundationni.org
We are immensely grateful for the support we have received, which has been overwhelmingly positive. The assistance provided by the staff has been invaluable!
CHARITY RESPONSE FORUMS
Charity Response Forums are an effective resource that offer charities space to safely explore broad and wide-ranging discussions around the issues charities are simultaneously tackling. These forums are supported by a small team of staff drawn from across Lloyds Banking Group. The forum members apply their various skills, experience, insights, and perspectives to help grantees think through issues, test their thinking, generate ideas and find solutions. Lloyds colleagues’ skills aren’t limited to finance. They bring with them a wide range of experience including risk management, project management, digital, leadership, the skills to effectively manage teams and how to master effective communications.
The Charity Response Forum usually consists of a 2-hour virtual call with your Lloyds Banking Group team.
To get involved or to find out more, contact the Foundation team at: grants@halifaxfoundationni.org
SKILLS EXCHANGE PROGRAMME
A Skills Exchange pairs a charity with a small team of Lloyds Bank colleagues. The Support Team collaborate, using their skills, knowledge and insights to help charities tackle a thorny problem or realise an untapped opportunity.
The Programme offers dedicated support over a 6-month period from a Lloyds Banking Group Support Team. This usually consists of several virtual support sessions with contact in between. Together they agree how best to apply the support.
For example:
- Informal discussions with representatives from the charity (CEO, staff, trustees)
- Workshops to deliver information and guidance and facilitate discussion
- Reviewing existing documents, e.g. strategies, policies, business plan, communications
- Action planning sessions
- Content building sessions, e.g. populating a business plan template together
To get involved or to find out more, contact the Foundation team at: grants@halifaxfoundationni.org
“I found the forum really helpful and it made me feel valued and excited going forward. There is light at the end of the tunnel but it might just take a while to reach it”
