Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of FAQs.  If you cannot find an answer to your question, please contact Oxfordshire Community Foundation by email with your query.

Q1. What is The Didcot Powerhouse Fund?

The Didcot Powerhouse Fund is a donor advised fund set up by Didcot First and others, to tackle inequality and deprivation within the Didcot Garden Town Area of Influence (Didcot and the local villages). The area has an affluent exterior, but pockets of poverty fall below the Oxfordshire County average and in some cases, within the top 20% ranking of the Index of Multiple Deprivation in England.

Agencies are already working hard to address the levelling up agenda, but covid combined with the cost of living crisis, has further sharpened the need for more practical help on the ground. The Didcot Powerhouse Fund aims to streamline corporate giving and local fundraising in a way that has much greater impact, advised by people who know and love the community here.

Q2. Is the fund just for Didcot Town?

The Fund is intended to benefit a much wider community, where there is demonstrable need. The Fund is using the existing Area of Influence of Didcot Garden Town as the boundary for grant seekers which includes Didcot and surrounding villages.

At least 90% of the beneficiaries from the fund must live in the Didcot Garden Town Area of Influence (please see map below).

Q3. What is a Donor Advised Fund?

This is a Fund where decisions on grants are taken by people who have strong local knowledge and an understanding of where the greatest needs lie. Representatives of local companies and institutions are also committed to investing in their local communities, through donations and other support they can provide.

The Fund is administered by Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) and is hosted by Didcot First. It is run by an Advisory Group who look after day-to-day activities and the grant process is managed by a Grants Panel, working closely with OCF – see Q7 for more information about the Advisory Group.

The Fund itself may also be eligible to apply for grants as well as seeking donations from philanthropists and other donors.

Q4. Can fund grants have more impact than direct donations?

Yes they can. Everyone is keen to make a positive impact through charity and by combining donations from different donors the Fund is able to make larger grants for projects that target specific areas of need in wider Didcot. The Fund actively encourages charities to work in partnership to apply for a grant, as this collegiate approach will generate greater long term impact as well as the sustainability of key projects and services.

Combining donations to make larger grants also enables the Fund to request details of the projected impact of a bid, and to track the results achieved – so donors have tangible evidence of outcomes for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which may be easier than tracking many much smaller charitable donations.

The current annual Powerhouse theme is: “Creating Stronger Bonds in the Community”.

Q5. How will Didcot Powerhouse Funds be used?

Annually, the Fund will open for applications from registered charities, community interest groups and social enterprises. Bids for grants will be assessed on their impact on a critical area of need in wider Didcot, and should meet the fund criteria which includes:

• Partnership working between charities is often more effective, so joint bids are encouraged.

• 90% of the qualifying grant beneficiaries from The Didcot Powerhouse Fund will live within a geographic area specified as The Area of Influence of Didcot Garden Town.

• Bids will address the annual Fund theme.

• Grant recipients will commit to providing evidence of the impact achieved which will be included within an Annual Report by The Didcot Powerhouse Fund.

Q6. Who will manage donations and grants for The Didcot Powerhouse Fund?

The Didcot Powerhouse Fund (DPF) has appointed the Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF), Charitable Incorporated Organisation no 1151621 (England & Wales), to handle donations and distribute grants within the agreed criteria of The DPF.

OCF has extensive experience managing donor advised funds.  They will be responsible for all grant administration including:

• Receiving grant applications through a dedicated portal.

• Completing due diligence on applicants including advising if OCF have reason to believe that a donation would not be wisely or safely spent by a recipient.

• Shortlisting applications, advising on grant giving, and providing a representative of OCF on The DPF Advisory Group and Grants Panel.

• Providing donors with an annual fund statement and tax certificate of donation.

• Please check grant criteria here.

Q7. Who are the members of the DPF Advisory Group?

The Advisory Group for The Didcot Powerhouse Fund comprises representatives from the following bodies:

Didcot First, Harwell Campus, MEPC Milton Park Ltd, Culham Science Park, Oxfordshire Community Foundation, OxLEP, Soha Housing, South Oxfordshire District Council, The Oxfordshire Lieutenancy, UKAEA, Vale of the White Horse District Council, Valerian Court and in a personal capacity, Mocky Khan.

Q8. We already give to charity, why would we donate to The Didcot Powerhouse Fund?

There are some important reasons for donating to charity in this way. By consolidating donations into a single donation into The Didcot Powerhouse Fund, the money given can have much greater impact, reaping key benefits for the donor, including:

• An annual donation to the Fund relieves organisations from the administration of:

  • Receiving, reviewing and assessing multiple charitable requests

  • Conducting appropriate due diligence prior to donations being made

  • Following up donations to assess the impact generated

• Avoiding a scattergun approach to charitable giving and any doubts about the impact of donations made.  The combination of local care and charitable agency representatives involved will ensure that grants go to the most urgent and deserving cases.

• A single annual donation is easier than dealing with multiple small charity donations and will assist in shaping clear charity and CSR policies for the organisation.  Charities themselves can seek funding from The DPF, saving them time and effort in seeking multiple donors.

• Tax receipts and paperwork will be dealt with more easily by the Oxfordshire Community Foundation, making giving easier and less time consuming. The Fund will produce an Annual Report on impact made, which means that donors do not need to undertake charity evaluation themselves.

• Giving via The DPF is the most effective way to address Corporate Social Responsibility in the local community. Becoming a donor will help build a positive reputation in the area, making employers more attractive to prospective recruits. 

• Consumers, customers, and investors want to ensure the company they work with is ethical and giving something back to the community they operate within.

• Making a donation is the starting point for companies to get more involved if they wish to e.g. donating employees’ time to community projects or events.

• Donors will be profiled on The DPF website and associated communications, plus they will be invited to key events, along with fellow donors.

• Founding donors will receive even greater recognition as they will be included in information surrounding the launch of The Didcot Powerhouse Fund.

Q9. I am not sure how much I should be donating?

Any size of donation to the Fund is welcome, from both businesses and individual philanthropists.

As a guideline, we are suggesting that a Quantum Donor will donate £10k or more per year over a two-year period, a Dynamo donor will give between £5K and £10k per year over two years and a Joule donor will give between £1k and £5k over two years. Organisations donating either up to £1k or offering ‘in kind’ support by giving generously of their time are Turbine donors and this is important as it helps keep design, production, print and other costs to a minimum for the Fund.

Q10. How do I donate and sign up to The Didcot Powerhouse Fund?

It’s a simple process. Just click here to complete the pro forma. In line with current Data Protection Regulations, we will also ask you if you are happy for The Didcot Powerhouse Fund to stay in touch with you. This will enable us to share updates and invitations with you as the Fund establishes itself. Data will not be shared with or used for marketing purposes by third parties.

Q11. How did The Didcot Powerhouse Fund get its name?

The name Didcot Powerhouse was suggested by Marc Hackett in a meeting with Didcot First and the Didcot Community Partnership when a proposal for a YouTube channel was under discussion. The name was well suited to the Fund and has helped provide Inspiration for the new brand, website and a short film about The Didcot Powerhouse Fund. It also capitalises on the use of positive wording around energy generation, fuelling the futures of people in the town, whilst linking back to Didcot's important Power Station and Great Western Railway heritage.