2025: A year of community voice, growth and connection across Wales
If 2025 has shown us anything, it’s that when communities, partners and philanthropy come together, meaningful change follows. This year took us from Anglesey to Cardiff, from youth-led events in Rhyl to recording studios, sports pitches and food banks – each one telling a different story of resilience and possibility. It was also a year of change behind the scenes, as we moved into our office in Hastings House, creating a new home for collaboration and partnership working.
Here’s a look at some of the moments that shaped the year…
Our 2025 Christmas card, designed by artist Jasmine Calloni
New leadership, strong foundations
We were delighted to welcome Judi Rhys MBE as our Chair at the beginning of the year, marking an exciting new chapter. We also welcomed new volunteer panel members, strengthening our grant-making with broader lived experience.
This year also saw the expansion of our Communications and Marketing team, with Eleri joining as Head of Communications and Marketing, and Kira as Communications and Marketing Coordinator, reflecting our growing focus on storytelling, visibility and engagement.
Welsh language, belonging and place
We were proud to secure approval for the Cynnig Cymraeg (Welsh Offer), a significant step in strengthening accessibility and identity across our work.
Our Croeso events took us across Cardiff, Blaenau Gwent and Neath Port Talbot, welcoming new supporters, partners and community organisations to learn more about local needs and the role of philanthropy in meeting them.
Meanwhile, we continued our Spotlight series in Cardiff – a programme of events for women in business – helping them connect with our work and build their networks.
A key moment this year was Your Voice, Your Rhyl, delivered with the Neumark Foundation and Place Matters, bringing residents, young people, funders and partners together to shape a shared, community-led vision for the town’s future.
Reaching the Welsh diaspora
We were proud to be selected as GlobalWelsh’s Charity of the Year in 2025, helping us grow stronger connections with Welsh communities across the UK and internationally, and opening up new conversations about long-term support for Wales.
Targeted funds, real lives changed
February saw the first ever awards from the My Four Wheels Fund, supporting young care leavers with driving lessons to unlock access to work, education and independence.
Through the Brian Rees Fund, we learned about Daniella’s journey into medical training, demonstrating the power of targeted support in opening up life-changing opportunities.
We were proud to launch the Annette Bryn Parri Fund, created to support young musicians with lessons, instruments and training opportunities in memory of the celebrated Welsh pianist.
Through £200,000 from the Foyle Foundation, we will be able to support grassroots charities across the country with flexible grants of £2,000-£10,000, reaching organisations closest to their communities.
We secured £90,000 as part of the UK-wide expansion of the Care Leavers Programme, which will launch in April 2026. This multi-year support will help care experienced young people through practical steps, helping them to gain independence and build resilience. We will be looking for match funding in Wales to increase the impact of this project even further.
This year marked a milestone for Principality Building Society, whose grant-making has now reached over £2 million in just four years, supporting projects that improve the environment and the lives of young people across Wales. We were also proud to continue our partnership with Nourish the Nation, tackling food poverty, and with the People’s Postcode Lottery, whose support through our Fund for Wales helps community-led organisations build stronger futures across the country.
To date in 2025, Fund for Wales has awarded £373,850 in grants and supported 158 projects in Wales.
These funds offer just a snapshot of how Welsh philanthropy creates change at critical moments, from crisis response and education to independence, creativity and long-term opportunity.
Supporting communities to grow
Throughout the year, our team spent time visiting community organisations across Wales to see how funding is supporting people and places.
At SilkFutures in Cardiff, young people take part in songwriting, recording and wellbeing sessions, using creativity to build confidence, supported by funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Our visits to Cymru Creations and Goalgetters highlighted the role of creative and sporting opportunities in helping children and young people build skills and self-belief. And at Gwent Valleys Evangelism Food Bank, we saw the importance of frontline support for people facing crisis.
In North Wales, our Grants Team travelled across Conwy, Caernarfon and Anglesey. They spent time with Youth Shedz, which supports young people’s employability and future opportunities. They also visited Menai Straits Heritage Sailing Club, a community project working with older people, focused on local heritage and improving wellbeing.
Our applicant workshop sessions continued to help organisations this year, to build stronger applications and improve how they tell their story, supporting long term sustainability. We’re pleased to have held 17 sessions helping 367 individuals and organisation across Wales.
Looking ahead
Work is underway to shape our next five-year strategy, guided by what we continue to learn from communities and partners across Wales. Our focus remains on long-term community resilience, growing Welsh philanthropy and ensuring local voices shape where funding goes and why.
This year’s review only scratches the surface of the work made possible by our donors, partners, volunteers and communities. And to everyone who’s played a part in this, thank you for being part of our story in 2025.
