RankNet

Checking in with Plymouth

by

The Rank Foundation began Place-Based funding in Plymouth back in 2018 after rolling out place-based Engaged Philanthropy models in Hull and Dundee. Plymouth has become a fantastic place of collaboration, friendship and learning. 2020 has been a year of evaluation and reflection, and we would like to share with you some of partnerships and work undertaken in the area. There are three separate publications each of which is intended to give readers an overview of just some of the outstanding work being undertaken by the thirty social enterprises which Rank is supporting as part of the Plymouth place-based programme. Click on each of the report titles below or visit our Plymouth page here for more information.

Emma Ridley
Plymouth Project Officer

Upshot in Plymouth: an Evaluation
Upshot is a performance management tool which is used by many of The Rank Foundation-supported organisations. For some, it is a condition of their grant that they use this evaluation tool in order to provide evidence of their work, set targets for themselves and measure their impact within the community.

The brochure highlights those ambitious targets, their geographical reach, evidenced-based media and some rich case studies. It provides an interesting mix of quantitative analysis with qualitative material, particularly those stories which detail how they have responded to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Reflections on the Plymouth RISE Programme
Iridescent Ideas was commissioned to reflect on the Plymouth place-based programme after the initial two years of The Rank Foundation’s presence in the City.

The report explores how effective the RISE programme has been, what has worked well on the programme, how it has furthered the development of the social enterprise sector across the City plus suggested future actions.

Plymouth: Collaboration in Action

 This brochure highlights just some of the amazing work the Rank Foundation-supported organisations in Plymouth have produced when they collaborate. Absolutely inspirational.

Wellbeing with Rank

by

August 2020 saw the launch of our “Wellbeing with Rank”, a series of virtual sessions organised by The Rank Foundation team for the benefit of RankNet members as a way of support during the ongoing pandemic and in response to the death of a member of our network. From an initial survey sent out to the network which allowed us to select a variety of sessions in areas where our members felt they could take time out of the day to focus on their mental wellbeing and improve their skill sets. An article written by ThirdSector stated that “90% of small charities lack access to adequate mental health resources”. Furthermore, the study showed a staggering 70% of respondents stating that the current pandemic has had an impact on their mental wellbeing. Sessions on ‘Mindfulness’ and ‘Self-Care’ are only some of the topics covered by RankNet in the hope of successfully offering support to its members.

After 3 months of holding these Wellbeing events, we wanted to gain some feedback on the sessions and how they have been received by members. The results found that on a scale of 1 to 10, 86% of the respondents rated between 7-10 on how beneficial these have been to them. It was also found that the events had either met expectations or exceeded expectations for the participants involved. Data aside, being able to gain written feedback gave people the opportunity to offer a more descriptive and personal view with their comments. With many people working from home a participant stated that the sessions were an “opportunity to take a break away from the workday and use it as a time to reflect”. One of the aims we have hoped for is to offer our members something to look forward to when the restrictions of being at home mean they are unable to do other activities.

Although the Wellbeing with Rank sessions are virtual, they offer the opportunity for attendees to share their own opinions and experiences that they have had during the pandemic. A recurring comment in the feedback was how respondents “enjoyed the chance to connect with other RankNet members as they might not have had the chance to do so before.”

The Wellbeing with Rank events are open for all members to participate. If you have not had the availability to attend any of our sessions but would like to do so, all are recorded and uploaded onto RankNet here. The aim is to have a library of resources available to RankNet members to access at any time. We would like to thank everyone who has attended the events and helped make them into the successes they have been. Keep an eye out on the events calendar to see all our upcoming events. More are yet to come!

If you are interested on possibly running a Wellbeing with Rank session, please contact: kirsty.stephenson@rankfoundation.com

Rank launches DCMS Covid-19 Response Programme

by

Last week, The Rank Foundation launched the brand new DCMS Covid-19 Response Programme to the Rank Network (RankNet).

The Rank Foundation is one of nineteen funders, foundations and philanthropists who are partnering with the Government’s Community Match Challenge scheme through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The programme is split into two strands: the Covid-19 Recovery Fund and the Covid-19 Time to Shine Leadership Programme.

These two funds will be exclusively open to RankNet member organisations*.

The Covid-19 Recovery Fund has been designed to support RankNet charities and social enterprises with urgent and immediate financial needs as a result of the pandemic.  This can include (but is not limited to) staff salaries, project running costs, general running costs and overheads, and goods and equipment which would not be capitalised.

The Covid-19 Time to Shine Leadership Programme has been designed to expand the already very popular Time to Shine programme between November 2020 and December 2022.  In the past, organisations have been invited to apply for the programme, however we are opening applications to RankNet member organisations*.

*In line with DCMS conditions and taking into consideration that there are nearly 1,000 members of RankNet, The Rank Foundation has outlined some key organisation criteria which should be adhered to when applying for either (or both) of these funding streams. We urge applicants to read more about the Covid-19 Recovery Fund and the Covid-19 Time to Shine Leadership Programme prior to making an application.

As an organisation, we are delighted to be able to offer this extended funding opportunity to RankNet member organisations during such a trying and difficult time for the Third Sector. If you are unable to find an answer to any questions using the links above, please email communitymatchchallenge@rankfoundation.com and someone will get back to you within 7 working days.

RankNet Members can apply for the Covid-19 Recovery Fund and the Covid-19 Time to Shine Leadership Programme under ‘Opportunities’ on RankNet.

Rank appoints Joel Davis as Trustee

by

Joel Davis has been appointed to the board of Trustees at The Rank Foundation. Founder of Tutors United, Joel will bring a wealth of knowledge and educational experience to the board. Joel was the 2013 Future Leaders Award Winner, 2014 John Lewis Young Person of the Year and the 2019 Rising Chief Executive Award Winner in the Third Sector Awards.

Joel is currently CEO at Tutors United, an educational charity which trains university students and delivers confidence-boosting, attainment-raising group tutorials to primary school pupils, as they look to overcome socio-economic barriers that can hinder progress.

Joel will be the first RankNet nomination to serve as a Trustee on The Rank Foundation’s board.

Chairman at The Rank Foundation, Joey Newton, comments: “I am thrilled to welcome Joel to the Trustee Board. He will bring a youthful energy and, excitingly, a RankNet perspective which will be welcomed by all of us.”

The Rank Foundation to benefit from DCMS funding scheme

by

 

The Rank Foundation is to benefit from the government’s DCMS £85 million Covid charity match-funding scheme.

The Rank Foundation is one of nineteen funders, foundations and philanthropists who are partnering with the Government’s Community Match Challenge scheme. The fund is part of the £750 million package of support announced by the Chancellor to support the sector.  The Rank Foundation has been awarded £5 million.

The Rank Foundation will create a new programme, the Time to Shine Covid-19 Resilience Programme, and will distribute a total of £10 million to small and medium-sized charities and social enterprises, primarily to those within their network, RankNet.

The new grants programme will support 200 charities and social enterprises with urgent and immediate financial needs.  Those organisations that are facing unprecedented demand for services or those that are facing a significant reduction income as a result of the pandemic, will benefit from the programme.  In addition, 200 charities and social enterprises will take part in the Time to Shine Leadership Programme, creating new, meaningful jobs when the social sector needs them most.

Time to Shine is a UK wide leadership programme that is run by the Rank Foundation, supported in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund and working with the social sector, where a strong emphasis is placed on personal and professional development. It is designed to address the following:

  • A specific organisational development need, working with a charity or social enterprise.
  • To enable a Time to Shine Leader with the right skills mix, talent, and work ethic, who is currently under-employed to experience a 12-month full-time paid position within a supportive social sector work environment.
  • To provide an opportunity for talented people to consider the social sector as a career of first choice.

Caroline Broadhurst, Deputy CEO of the Rank Foundation stated, ‘we are delighted to be part of this collaborative approach to build resilience within the social sector, in the face of the pandemic.  The dual offer of immediate, short-term and urgent grant funding, combined with an investment in the social sector leaders of tomorrow, through the Time to Shine Programme, will help create the best conditions for charities and social enterprises to not only survive but thrive beyond 2020.’

For further information please contact communitymatchchallenge@rankfoundation.com

Handling Covid19 – Clean Break

by

This week, we are shining the spotlight on Clean Break, a charity based in London. Clean Break uses theatre to keep the subject of women in prison on the cultural radar, helping to reveal the damage caused by the failures of the criminal justice system.


Clean Break is a women’s theatre company, founded in 1979 by two women prisoners who believed in the power of theatre to transform lives. Their vision is of a society where women can realise their full potential, free from criminalisation. Through theatre workshops and projects in prisons and the community which build confidence, resilience and wellbeing, Clean Break transforms the lives of women who have experienced the criminal justice system or have been identified as at risk of entering it. The team ordinarily work with 70 women each week as part of their weekly Members Programme. They have 10 full time and 11 part time staff and are usually supported by around 40 volunteers.

“We pursue our vision by producing ground-breaking theatre which puts women’s voices at its heart and creates lasting change by challenging injustice in and beyond the criminal justice system”

Photo Credit: Clean Break

The Members Programme is delivered from trauma-informed, women-only studios in Kentish Town. The Programme runs in ten-week sessions, and each week Clean Break will host workshops in Introduction to Drama, Advanced Theatre, Writers Circle, and Health & Wellbeing, as well as running a Young Artists Development Programme. The sessions are designed to help members cope with the long-term issues that can underpin women’s involvement in the criminal justice system, such as mental ill health, domestic abuse or violence, poverty, or alcohol or drug misuse.

The Coronavirus pandemic has meant that Clean Break has been forced to make some big changes to their programme delivery. They swiftly moved their sessions online and began to offer member support remotely. This was a challenge as many of their service users already struggle with isolation; and the crisis also presents challenges in coping with long-term issues. The sessions now include: 3 online creative workshops per week, members support in the form of check-ins, Zoom 1:1’s, and care packages, as well as new creative projects which foster connectivity and community. The plan is to maintain this service until the team are able to offer a reduced, in-person version of their Member Programme that they can run alongside their virtual workshops.

The biggest organisational challenge has been financial. Clean Break’s largest unrestricted income is hiring out their building (ordinarily generating £125K per year) which came to an abrupt halt in February. Other financial challenges have included the loss of donations as funders have diverted money to emergency delivery; a reduction in capacity as Clean Break have furloughed 76% of their staff; and loss of further trading income as they do not expect to be able to run training courses or earn box office income from theatre productions for a good while yet.

“Emergency funding support from both existing and new funders has been essential to navigate this crisis and stabilise our organisation; funders such as the Rank Foundation have been absolutely vital in protecting our resilience, securing our future, and making sure that we will be able to return to a full Members Programme as soon as possible.”

For more information about Clean Break, please visit www.cleanbreak.org.uk

You can also follow on Twitter @CleanBrk, Instagram @CleanBrk, Facebook, or find them on LinkedIn.

If you’d like to contact someone at Clean Break for more information about their work, or supporting them, please contact Head of Development and Communications Sally Muckley at sally.muckley@cleanbreak.org.uk