Imagine a world where all businesses give back...

WE BACK BRISTOL is a network of independent businesses committed to strengthening our city by giving 1% of their turnover back to local communities.

We are Bristol-focused, ethically driven and care about our communities. Together, we offer grants, donate assets and gift staff time to support grassroot charities and groups making a difference for people and places across Bristol.

Why? Because our charity sector is at breaking point yet the number of people accessing their services is rising year on year. CRS isn't working and giving in isolation is like sticking a plaster on the situation. No one else is coming to the rescue. This is our city. These are our people. Change starts with us.

Collective impact. Powered by independents. Driven by purpose.

WE BACK BRISTOL

Why it matters

Bristol’s charities and community groups are holding this city together. Every. Single. Day. They open their doors when other services are closed. They offer support, connection and opportunity when you need it most. They are the safety net preventing people from falling into crisis at a time when their world is collapsing.

And those people? They’re our neighbours. Our friends. Our families. Us. Any one of us could need that safety net. Whether its sickness, disability, mental ill-health, neurodivergence, loneliness, poverty, inequality or other emergencies. When life hits hard, these charities catch us.

Right now, our charity sector is at breaking point!

Public services are stretched so thin they’re barely recognisable which means that demand for charity support has skyrocketed over the last 10 years. At the same time, operating costs have risen exponentially, trust and foundation funds are vastly oversubscribed, public donations are down and the need to generate income in a competitive market drains energy from exactly the people who should be focusing on delivering support. Across our city, charities are cutting services that people rely on. Some are closely entirely. Where the doors are open, staff are running on fumes and being asked to continuously deliver more on a smaller budget. Yet this situation is entirely avoidable.

Bristol is not short of money or creativity. Our business sector is packed with talent, ambition and genuine care for the community. We didn't create this problem but no one else is charging in to solve it. It's clear that classic corporate social responsibility isn't working. It's outdated, inconsistent and too often a tick-box, PR exercise.

Real change requires a model that shifts cash, resources and skills (therefore power) into the hands of the people who deliver impact - our charity sector! This is what backing our city looks like.

STAND UP BY GIVING BACK

How it works

1. Pledge

Donate at least 1% of your annual turnover based on your previous year’s accounts.

You can give entirely in CASH or through a mix of CASH, donated ASSETS and STAFF TIME.

However the city's challenges are real therefore at least 50% of every pledge must be CASH - starting at £10,000 per Founding Member / £5,000 per Donor Member.

Not there yet? Become an Affiliate Member and grow your business with community at its core.

2. Give

Cash: Your contribution is distributed to grassroots charities and community groups through Quartet Community Foundation, ensuring support reaches the people who need it most.

Assets: Donate stock, space, equipment or services directly to charities and groups that mean the most to you - building real relationships.

Time: Gift your team’s skills to charities through Quartet’s expert matching network, supporting groups who need specialist knowledge or hands-on help.

3. Celebrate

Every WE BACK BRISTOL partner is here for the same reason - to give, influence and grow. Networking and collaboration guaranteed.

Hang your WE BACK BRISTOL plaque proudly and use the WE BACK BRISTOL logo to demonstrate your values and highlight the communities you’ve supported.

Share the WE BACK BRISTOL Annual Impact Report with your team, your customers, and your city. Celebrate the difference we've collectively achieved every year.

Be a good business

Lead the charge and become a FOUNDING BUSINESS. Once live, our network of Donor Businesses has no limit...

Which Business are you?

Founder Business
Up to 6 Bristol-focused, independent and ethical businesses leading in their field with a history of giving back. As well as giving a minimum of 1% of their turnover, together, they will co-create the We Back Bristol vision and values, visual identity, identify fund themes and choose shortlisted charities.

Minimum Cash Pledge: £10,000 or 0.5% of turnover (topped up to 1% of turnover Assets or Staff Time).

Donor Business
Bristol-focused businesses who give 1% of their total turnover to local charities including cash, assets and skills.

Minimum Cash Pledge: £5,000 or 0.5% of turnover (topped up to 1% of turnover Assets or Staff Time).

Affiliate Member
Fledgling or other business that cannot currently meet the donor threshold but want to embed community-giving into their future vision. Will offer advice / assets / skills relevant to the fund.

Additional benefits

Celebrate what you already do

Consolidate your existing efforts, gain a bigger platform to showcase your values and celebrate about our collective impact.

Work smarter, not harder

Good business is good for business. Giving back builds relationships, strengthens your story, and shows what you stand for.

Collective Power

Share knowledge, adopt best practice and ensure your support is equitable and transparent. Together, we have a louder voice to influence where it matters.

Lead the charge

This begins with you, right here in Bristol. Our model is simple and scalable. Any city can adopt it. Show the world it pays to give back.

Tried. Tested. Scalable

Since May 2023, Bristol Beer Factory has been pioneering a new way of giving back to the city. Through their award winning Brewed to Give programme, they are on track to raise £1 MILLION for charities and good causes in just 4 YEARS simply by donating 2% of their total brewery sales.

By gifting a mix of cash, asset (beer) and staff time, they have helped fund activities making a difference for people across the city, whilst embedding their values, nurturing new relationships and increasing brand exposure.

Despite this success, BBF know that working in isolation is not going to address the mounting challenges faced by our charity sector. However, multiply the number of businesses, you multiply the budget and therefore the impact.