Pictured above: David Bucknall (centre), chair of the Birmingham and Black Community Foundation and of property and construction practice Rider Levett Bucknall, who has signed up to become one of the first 100 Club members. Zoë Keens and David Hersey both from the Foundation stand either side

The search is on for 100 people who believe that charity begins at home and are willing to give £1000 each for three years to support grassroots causes in the community.  

Those who sign up will become members of the 100 Club, a key new Birmingham Community Foundation (BCF) initiative that supports the mission of the charity to provide sustainable funding for disadvantaged communities in Birmingham and the Black Country now and in the future.

Each year the high profile community focussed charity helps to fund more than 750 local community and volunteer organisations and distributes around £2.5m in grants.

These local groups work with the elderly, children and young people who suffer disadvantage, which may be through poverty, age, ill-health or disability.

The 100 Club aims to bring together leaders and opinion formers who care about Birmingham and the Black Country to engage with philanthropy that makes a difference to the lives of local people. 

Zoë Keens, development director of BCF "Despite having experienced one of the worst recessions in living memory, the desire of people to give something back to our local communities is on the increase both through individual philanthropists and companies seeking to do their part through Corporate Social Responsibility.

"We are looking for 100 local businesses and individuals to commit to making an annual donation of £1000 from individuals and £2500 from business for three years."

"When 100 members sign up it will generate a minimum of £50,000 a year to be used immediately for grants to support local needs and £50,000 a year to be invested with the income to be used to make grants in perpetuity. The figures speak for themselves."

Benefits to 100 Club members will include networking and awards events and the opportunity for friends, family, colleagues and members themselves to visit the community and voluntary groups they have funded and meet the people they are helping to make a difference.

Over 7,000 charities and community and voluntary groups undertake invaluable work in communities across Birmingham and the Black Country.

Zoë added: "We all see, read and hear of community issues on an almost daily basis and think about how problems can be solved. The greatest impact to bring about change is made at a grassroots level by local people who are finding local solutions to their local communities needs.

"At the end of the day, helping our local communities to help themselves via funding opportunities will make Birmingham and the Black Country a better place to live, work, play and invest."