Heart of England Community Foundation awarded £200,000 legacy funding as Foyle Foundation prepares for closure.
The Heart of England Community Foundation is proud to announce that we have been selected as one of only eleven community foundations across the UK to receive a £200,000 legacy donation from the Foyle Foundation as part of it’s final round of charitable giving.
The Foyle Foundation was established in 2000 to implement the will of the late Christina Foyle, who died in 1999 leaving most of her estate to charity. As an independent grant making trust the Foyle Foundation distributes grants to UK-based charities (primarily arts and learning) and schools. The Foundation’s long planned spend down and closure takes place in December 2025 by when it will have distributed over £185 million in total, including a number of legacy projects with long-term benefit.
We are incredibly grateful to have been chosen. This generous donation will allow us to launch a series of grant programmes aimed at strengthening communities across the Midlands.
In the first year, grants will focus on supporting local organisations in Coventry, Solihull, and Warwickshire to reduce their environmental impact and improve energy efficiency. Grants of up to £5,000 will be available, and applications should align with one of the following priorities:
- Improving the energy efficiency of community buildings (insulation, efficient heating/lighting systems).
- Community renewable energy generation (e.g., solar PV, battery systems).
- Supporting sustainable community food production (e.g., rainwater harvesting, infrastructure at allotments and community gardens).
- Promoting carbon-neutral transport (EV chargers, shared transport schemes, cycling/walking routes).
- Reducing waste and supporting resource reuse (community larders/kitchens, repair cafés, libraries of things).
David Hall, Chief Executive of the Foyle Foundation, said:
“Following the closure of our Small Grants Scheme we wanted to continue this important work which is a lifeline to small charities. In our final legacy year, we are proud to support the work of community foundations across the country, who carry out such important work in their local areas—often in hard-to-reach places and frequently without recognition. We hope to encourage everyone to appreciate the value of this kind of philanthropy, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the community foundations and the communities they serve for all they contribute.”
Tina Costello OBE, Chief Executive of the Heart of England Community Foundation, said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Foyle Foundation for selecting us for this significant legacy gift. Their support enables us to invest in long-term environmental resilience and community wellbeing across Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. This fund will create a lasting footprint of positive change – exactly the type of legacy Christina Foyle envisioned.”
More details will follow in the Autumn of 2026.