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The Archway Foundation is a long-established Oxfordshire charity working to  alleviate the mental and physical health impacts of chronic loneliness. Founded more than 40 years ago with a foundational ethos of Christian service, it provides long-term, relationship-based support for people experiencing loneliness, isolation and disconnection.

Through a team of more than 90 trained volunteers, Archway provides  face-to-face support, telephone support, and  social groups for its beneficiaries, known as “Friends”. Volunteers are carefully matched and stay alongside people for as long as they are needed, often for many years.

This depth of support is particularly important for people with complex, co-occurring needs, including poor mental health, trauma, disability, poverty or other barriers to connection. Alongside its core work, Archway also raises awareness of loneliness and has delivered additional community activity, including creative projects and drop-in support for refugees and vulnerable new migrants.

The Challenge: Rebuilding Focus and Strengthening Fundraising

Archway has a strong local reputation and a long history of support from trusts and foundations, particularly within Oxfordshire. However, like many small, locally rooted charities, it had seen changes in its funding landscape over recent years. Some long-standing sources of local support had become less reliable, while the charity’s internal capacity to manage a consistent trusts and foundations programme was limited.

With a small staff team largely focused on frontline delivery, Archway did not have a dedicated internal fundraiser. Trusts and foundations account for more than half of its income, so maintaining momentum, stewarding existing relationships and building a strong pipeline were all essential.

The charity was looking for more structured, proactive fundraising support. Some previous funder relationships had drifted, opportunities had fallen through the gaps, and the pipeline was not operating as the active planning tool the charity required.

At the same time, Archway was beginning to think carefully about how to target its services where need is greatest. In Oxfordshire, this means continuing to support older people and those with acute mental and physical health needs, while also reaching more deprived communities, minority groups, and exploring how to connect with younger people experiencing loneliness.

Our Approach: Creating Structure, Momentum and Confidence

When Orchard Fundraising began working with The Archway Foundation, our first priority was to create a trusts and foundations pipeline that was realistic, strategic and actively used.

We started with a detailed review of Archway’s funding history. Because the charity had been supported by trusts and foundations for many years, there was significant value in looking backwards as well as forwards. We reviewed previous funders, identified relationships that could be re-engaged, and looked at where applications, reporting or stewardship may have fallen away over time.

This helped us rebuild the pipeline around both existing and new opportunities. We strengthened relationships with the core group of Oxfordshire funders that had supported Archway for many years, while also identifying additional local and regional funders the charity had not previously approached. In doing so, we significantly expanded the pool of Oxfordshire-focused prospects and created opportunities for relationships that could support the charity for years to come.

Our approach is deliberately active and responsive. Rather than creating a static list of funders, we developed a dynamic pipeline planned around application deadlines, reporting requirements, stewardship actions and emerging opportunities. We also work closely with the team through a weekly standing meeting, giving Archway regular contact, clarity and reassurance while keeping applications, deadlines and decisions moving.

Alongside trusts and foundations, Orchard is also supporting Archway with its individual donor journey. This separate piece of work includes a donor survey and review of how supporters are engaged, thanked and encouraged to continue giving. For a charity currently so reliant on trusts and foundations, this is an important step towards diversifying income and building greater long-term resilience.

Our Impact: Restoring Pace and Rebuilding the Pipeline

In the first 6 months of support, Orchard Fundraising helped Archway secure £27,000 in confirmed funding, with further significant applications awaiting decision.

However, the wider impact is in the structure and momentum being built around Archway’s fundraising. The charity now has a more active, better managed pipeline, planned up to a year ahead, with a strong mix of re-engaged previous funders, strengthened local relationships and new prospects.

We are currently supporting Archway to submit up to around six to eight applications each month, using an efficient delivery model that combines client lead oversight and bid writing capacity. This has enabled the charity to increase the volume and consistency of applications while maintaining quality and strategic focus.

We have also supported Archway to take a more proactive approach to stewardship, moving from reporting as required to a more structured approach. The charity now uses stewardship as a valuable part of the fundraising process, helping to build trust, demonstrate impact and create the conditions for longer-term support.

Our work has also helped Archway sharpen how it talks about its future direction. As the charity looks to focus more intentionally on areas of highest need, we are helping refine the case for support so funders can understand both the urgency and the value of this work.

The Future: Diversifying Income and Planning Ahead

Archway is entering an important period. A major multi-year grant will come to an end in the future, and the charity will need to plan carefully for what follows. With changes in funder criteria and increasing competition for support, it cannot rely on previous funding routes continuing in the same way.

Our ongoing work will focus on maintaining a strong trusts and foundations pipeline, re-engaging and stewarding key funders, and identifying new opportunities that align with Archway’s evolving priorities. This includes supporting the charity as it seeks to reach people in areas of greater deprivation, strengthen its social groups and explore new ways of connecting with younger people experiencing loneliness.

At the same time, our individual giving work is helping Archway put the foundations in place to diversify income. By understanding its donors better and improving the supporter journey, the charity can begin to build stronger relationships beyond trusts and foundations, creating a more balanced and sustainable fundraising mix over time.

The Archway Foundation has deep local roots, a distinctive relational model and a clear understanding of the harm loneliness can cause. With a stronger fundraising pipeline, more active stewardship and a broader approach to income generation, the charity is better placed to protect and grow its work, ensuring more people across Oxfordshire can find connection, companionship and long-term support

“Orchard Fundraising has brought structure, momentum and confidence to our fundraising, strengthening relationships and opening up new opportunities.”

— Angelo Fernandes, CEO, The Archway Foundation