About us
The Pearce Foundation was set up by Jane Robbie in 2022 with the aim of strengthening charitable organisations within Sussex.
Our aims and approach have been defined by 25 years of experience working in small organisations within the charity sector. We are underpinned by a belief that strengthening capacity is the key to helping organisations meet their beneficiaries’ needs more effectively.
Our goal is to offer and facilitate meaningful support to organisations by providing strategic funding and a range of tailored activities so that they can go on to support others.
Read more about who and how we support here.
Our Trustees
Our trustees bring a wealth of experience, insight and compassion to their roles.
Founder & Chair
Jane Robbie
Jane is a Personal Performance and Small Business Coach, working in the charity sector for 25 years. She’s held a variety of roles from administration to project management, support, development, and trusteeship. Her wealth of knowledge and experience from working at the grassroots level has given her a deep understanding of the realities of running a small charity. She worked as a Project Manager and then Support and Development Manager for the charity Music as Therapy International for 17 years, managing each project phase from inception to planning, delivery, and evaluation. She joined their Board of Trustees in 2017.
“I’m passionate about empowering leaders of small charities by helping them drive sustainable growth and positive change in their communities. I enjoy creating a friendly, supportive environment to encourage partners to harness their strengths and successfully achieve their goals. I love what I do and feel very lucky to meet so many inspirational people!”
Trustee
Janice Taylor
Janice is a Career and Leadership Development Coach, with a passion for promoting resilience in others, either through the design and delivery of her courses or through her coaching work with clients. Her business Blue Sky Career Consulting has been in existence since February 2000. Specialising in career and work issues, Janice works in partnership with her clients to support them through reviewing their career and working life, researching, exploring options, and taking steps towards change with renewed energy and focus.
“I am passionate about promoting resilience in others and strongly value the ability of individuals to take ownership of their working lives and careers. We adopt the same approach at the Pearce Foundation and it’s inspiring to see the impact this has on our partners.”
Trustee
Charlotte Moroney
Charlotte has over 25 years’ experience in publishing and communications, in the corporate and charity sectors. For the last 16 years she has worked for Amaze, the Brighton-based charity that supports families with disabled children in Sussex. She manages their website, brand, print publications and digital media output and works with the leadership team to shape their communications strategy.
“What I love most about my job is empowering families to get the best for their kids by giving them the information they need in accessible, clear and inclusive language. I’ve enjoyed being able to share some of this knowledge with the Pearce Foundation grant recipients too, as well as be involved in the selection process.”
Trustee
Jane Waller
Jane is highly experienced in charity administration and oversight having been a Trustee at Brighton Open Air Theatre for 7 years and Business Manager at Windlesham School (a registered Charity ) for 13. She is MBA qualified with a long career at the BBC prior to her work in Education. Jane is currently working on a freelance basis assisting companies/charities and individuals with bookkeeping and other admin needs..
“Our work at the Pearce Foundation has already made a big difference to several local charities, it is great to see them continuing to thrive.”
Trustee
Ronald Olufunwa
Ronald has over 25 years of experience in financial planning in the corporate and charity sectors. He works for Westminster Wealth Management LLP, a privately owned, London-based independent financial advisory group providing expert financial advice to a wide range of clients.
Ronald specialises in giving advice to family businesses, start-ups, sports people and charities. His expertise enables him to deliver practical solutions to many of the strategic challenges faced by SMEs and Charities.
“I particularly enjoy empowering clients by placing myself ‘in their shoes’ then sharing my knowledge and expertise in ways that give them insight into how to achieve their goals. It’s rewarding to create a holistic picture of my clients’ various objectives and challenges. Providing clients with relatable practical solutions which they can implement with confidence is nurturing and fulfilling.”
Communications Officer
Zoya Rasul
Zoya has a diverse background in writing for advertising and journalism for five years before completing her Masters in Media for Development & Social Change from the University of Sussex. She has rich experience in multimedia content creation as well as social media strategy and management. She has worked with news organisations in India before moving to charity sector where she has worked with ACEN, a London-based anti-racism organisation, as their social media and administrative officer and with Brighton Open Air Theatre (BOAT) as their communications assistant. She provides valuable communications and organisational support to the Pearce Foundation.
“Social justice and people’s causes are close to my heart. It’s inspiring to work with charities that are passionately dedicated to different causes, most of the time against difficult odds. To be a part of the Pearce Foundation in its remarkable efforts to support small, fledgling charities and their leaders is incredibly fulfilling for me. ”
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Our values
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Respect
It starts with respecting ourselves as individuals, and then as a collective at an organisational level. It ripples out to our partners and to all those we work alongside. We listen, encourage, value and strive to bring the best out in each other.
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Connection
We all need a sense of belonging. We love getting to know our partners and those in our wider network and enjoy connecting them for mutual benefit.
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Kindness
We treat everyone how we’d like to be treated ourselves; with generosity, warmth, compassion, good humour and fairness. Our model of giving and receiving underpins everything we do.
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Growth
We want our partners to grow at a pace which is right for them. We offer personal and professional development opportunities along with the resources and equipment needed for sustainable, responsible growth.
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Integrity
We strive to build authentic relationships that are open and honest. As an organisation, we are trustworthy and reliable.