Charity Hub: Funding & Financial Resilience

Join us at Charity Hub for a fun, relaxed, and practical in-person networking and information-sharing session, bringing together people who are passionate about making a difference in their communities.

This first Charity Hub of 2026 focuses on Funding & Financial Resilience, offering practical guidance on navigating the 2026 grants landscape and planning for longer-term financial sustainability. It’s a great opportunity to hear from experienced speakers, share ideas, swap stories, and learn from others across the charity and voluntary sector.

We are delighted to welcome two confirmed speakers whose expertise reflects different dimensions of regional support:

Paul Johnson, Strategic Lead on the Local Growth Fund, will open the morning with a session on funding opportunities and economic support structures that are emerging across South Yorkshire and beyond. The Local Growth Fund, recently allocated a multi-million-pound budget to support business support, infrastructure and skills development, represents a shift toward more flexible, long-term investment in the region’s economic future. Paul will help unpack what this means for charities seeking to leverage place-based, long-term funding , particularly those with programmes tied to employment, training or local enterprise growth and how organisations can position themselves to benefit from evolving funding approaches.

Following this, Martin van Kan, Chief Executive and Clerk of The Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, will share perspectives rooted in one of Sheffield’s most historic and community-oriented institutions. The Company has a long tradition of charitable involvement through its Combined Charitable Trust and associated funds, supporting local groups, alleviating hardship and strengthening community health and wellbeing. Martin’s talk will explore not just the practicalities of accessing charitable funding, but the role of heritage organisations in sustaining vibrant civic life, fostering collaborative partnerships and embedding resilience across diverse community sectors.

Throughout the morning there will be plenty of time to talk with peers over coffee, swap experiences, and build supportive connections. As well as these keynote contributions, the session will include updates on sector grant activity and space for attendees to ask questions and share the challenges and opportunities they’re facing.

Whether you’re seeking fresh funding routes, thinking about how to weather financial uncertainty, or simply keen to reconnect with like-minded practitioners, this Charity Hub promises both practical insight and energising conversation.

Charity Hub is supported by Business Sheffield.

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Host or Publisher FCS Associates Ltd