Channel Islands (CI) Coop has launched a charitable initiative, the Community Impact Fund, which will reinvest unclaimed member balances from dormant accounts into community, environmental, social, and heritage projects.
The first recipients have been announced, receiving £69,000 between six projects across the islands.
The fund follows a rule change at the 2021 Annual Members’ Meeting, where members voted for dormant account balances to be used for positive island impact rather than remaining untouched.
CI Coop says the ring‑fenced fund is dedicated to projects that align with its “sustainability ambitions, co-operative values, and long‑term community purpose”.
The Community Impact Fund will complement and strengthen the society’s existing Community Fund, ensuring a joined-up approach to community support, it adds.
While the Community Fund will continue to back smaller grants and local initiatives, the Community Impact Fund will help enable larger projects, offering funding of up to a maximum of £25,000 “where there is a clear and lasting community benefit”.
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The new fund will distribute grants through three routes – direct support for specific projects, partnership grants to trusted foundations, and an annual application programme.
CI Coop says this will allow it to support a diverse range of causes, from environmental conservation to heritage preservation and community accessibility, while maintaining transparency and alignment with members’ wishes.
Main image: Simon Matthews with Jersey recipients
The first set of community and environmental initiatives to receive includes five projects in Jersey and two in Guernsey.
Jersey
Jersey Island Geopark – £10,000 to support Unesco‑aligned educational materials, walking guides, digital resources, and accessibility‑friendly geotrails.
Grow Jersey – £10,000 to create wheelchair‑friendly raised‑bed growing areas to enable inclusive participation for students and adults with mobility challenges.
Jersey Trees for Life – £10,000 to increase tree cover, boost biodiversity, and engage islanders in tree planting and ecological stewardship.
National Trust for Jersey – £9,000 for 90th anniversary community events and a ‘90 Faces’ portrait exhibit celebrating 90 years of island conservation.
Jersey Transport – £7,500 over two years to support a town buggy designed to help islanders navigate areas of town that present mobility challenges. The service is designed for operation across selected areas, aiming to improve access to town for people with disabilities.
Guernsey
Guernsey Nature Commission – £10,000 to help landowners with biodiversity management, ecological guidance, and habitat improvement in line with the Strategy for Nature.
National Trust of Guernsey – £5,000 to help restore scrubland to biodiverse grassland, supporting native wildflowers and protecting Guernsey’s natural heritage.
“Because our members asked us to put dormant account balances to work in our communities, we are proud to launch a fund with clear purpose and real potential,” said co-op CEO Mark Cox. “The Community Impact Fund strengthens our ability to support some of the excellent work already being delivered in the community, while helping us to fulfil our vision of making a real difference to the communities we serve.
“We are confident it will deliver meaningful environmental and social impact, support organisations doing outstanding work, and contribute to the long-term wellbeing and resilience of our islands.”
Alan Le Maistre, CEO of the National Trust for Jersey, said: “We want to thank the co-op and their members in supporting our 90th anniversary celebrations through the Community Impact Fund.
“The co-op has, incredibly, been a member of the National Trust for Jersey for over 40 years and it’s a relationship that we value greatly. Their longstanding commitment helps us continue to look after Jersey’s natural environment, and unique heritage.
“Through this exciting collaboration, we look forward to celebrating the trust’s 90th anniversary with our members and the broader public alike, through a fun-filled community-focused event at Greve de Lecq. It’s going to be a great chance to get together to celebrate all that makes Jersey special.”
Jessi Jennings, CEO at Guernsey Nature Commission, said: “We are so pleased to receive this funding from the Community Impact Fund, which will enable us to work with the landowners of Guernsey whose land has been designated as a Site of Special Significance (SSS) or an Area of Biodiversity Importance (ABI).
“These designations recognise the ecological importance of those sites in Guernsey, and so it’s essential to ensure landowners are aware of the designation of their land, as well as support them in maintaining the designation and help provide expertise in order to ensure positive biodiversity outcomes for Guernsey.”
Simon Matthews, chief property and sustainability officer at CI Coop, said: “The launch of our Community Impact Fund is the culmination of a journey initiated by our members, delivered by our colleagues, and undertaken with our community.
“The Fund is the very essence of ‘community impact’: supporting those island-wide initiatives in each of Jersey and Guernsey that will make a difference to the communities they serve. It’s also an important part of our Blueprint for a Sustainable Future sustainability strategy.
“It will be exciting to see ways that shopping with the CI Coop will result further support for those charitable and voluntary organisations that underpin the environmental, heritage and sustainability qualities of the islands. I thank the members, my colleagues and our charity partners for all of their efforts in launching the Community Impact Fund.”
CI Coop adds that the Community Impact Fund is closely aligned with its Sustainability Blueprint.
“With consistent annual contributions, colleague volunteering opportunities, and a framework that welcomes community applications, the Community Impact Fund represents a significant new chapter in the co-op’s long-standing commitment to island life,” it said.
More information on future funding rounds and application processes will be shared later this year. Applications for the next round of funding will open early 2027.
