Do More than Give: Be catalytic
This month, we’re celebrating Bruntwood’s 50th birthday. This milestone event will feel special to so many colleagues across the business, and the celebrations will no doubt – and quite rightly – be long-lasting.
As the Oglesby Charitable Trust (OCT) works in close partnership with Bruntwood, this is a great moment to reflect on the impact that the business has had on the OCT’s work.
Like many family foundations, the work of the OCT is only possible due to the family business, but there’s huge diversity in how different families and businesses choose to ‘do philanthropy’.
Although the Trust is independent of Bruntwood, certain characteristics are clearly shared, as both entities were established, and are still led, by the same family. Below we look more specifically at a key approach that originated in the business, and has influenced ‘the how’ of the OCT.
Bruntwood and the OCT
Bruntwood, established by Michael Oglesby, has always had a strong sense of its purpose: “Creating Thriving Cities”. In the last year alone, the business has generated over £200 million in verifiable social value, through work insight programmes, apprenticeship weeks, fundraising, Cares Days, pro bono support, and much more.
As the business grew, Michael and his wife Jean established the OCT so that they could support and engage with more charitable causes near to the business and from where its workforce and customer base was drawn.
To date, the Trust has distributed funds of more than £37 million, primarily in the North West of England, with current annual grants totalling around £2m. This is possible due to the combination of the philanthropy of the Trust’s founders, and the success of their family business.
Being catalytic
At the OCT we see our role as more than just distributing funding. Philanthropy experts Crutchfield, Kania and Kramer used the term ‘catalytic philanthropy’ to refer to donors who understand that they have more value to offer than their money, and that by bringing multiple resources to bear on the issue they want to tackle, they can have a greater effect. This is certainly the approach taken by our founders, and one that is stitched within the culture of the business and the Trust. This term perhaps best describes how the business’s approach has shaped our own, and is visible in three key ways:
- Working through boundaries: our founders viewed conventional boundaries between sectors, industries, geographies, etc., as permeable; opportunities to bring fresh thinking to issues.
- Progress as priority: catalytic donors have a distinct preference for progress over paperwork, asking not simply “What is the most important issue?” but also “Where can we make change happen?”
- It’s personal: impactful work is rarely achieved remotely. Funding issues that are genuinely important to our founders and our team encourages us to try to look beyond funding alone and to spot opportunities for connection and collaboration.
This approach is demonstrated through initiatives like ‘Funding Plus,’ through which Bruntwood colleagues provide charities with resources that extend beyond our grants – offering pro bono expertise, meeting space, networks, and resources. This is only possible due to the catalytic approach taken by Bruntwood’s leadership team and workforce to work creatively across boundaries.
Looking Ahead
As Bruntwood celebrates this half-century milestone, our relationship remains as steadfast as ever. The relationship continues to evolve, and to equip the OCT to meet the challenges of the coming decades. As a Trust team, we deeply appreciate the catalytic approach that was baked into the business by Michael Oglesby on its inception and that it has upheld ever since. It is responsible for so much of what we are able to achieve as a charitable Trust and ensures that the legacy of the Oglesby family business continues to create thriving cities and communities.
Happy birthday Bruntwood, from all of us at the OCT
