The Adobe UK Community Fund will fund 12 grassroots disability and community organisations across London, with two-year grants totalling £432,000. Working in partnership with the Adobe Foundation and managed by The London Community Foundation, this brand new fund seeks to support digital and creative inclusion for communities with lower rates of digital access, focusing on initiatives that positively impact the social inclusion of residents who are deaf or living with a disability.
Adobe believes in the power of community to create positive change. Creativity has the power to uplift communities, and technology can transform lives, yet not everyone has the same access to opportunities to aid self-expression. Through their purpose-driven mission, Creativity for All, they are committed to empowering everyone to be creative, irrespective of what makes them uniquely themselves or the skill level they have.
Through the Adobe UK Community Fund, the grassroots organisations chosen have received grants that enable community access to opportunities and resources needed to connect, create, and succeed in this digital age. The financial grants will be further supported by Adobe employee engagement, volunteering, advocacy, and product donations, including Adobe Express Premium.
Our core mission is driven by the belief that technology should be a force for good. It’s about equipping people with the tools to tell their stories, shape their futures, and create real change. With the Adobe Foundation, we support initiatives addressing critical issues such as digital literacy, education, and access to technology, empowering individuals and organisations globally.Suzanne Steele, Vice President and Managing Director, Adobe UK, Ireland, Middle East, and Africa
Adobe has a long history of investing into the communities where their workforce is based and this fund furthers the outworking of their Creativity for All mission in the UK. In addition to the 12 community projects supported in London, a further 7 organisations will be supported through Berkshire Community Foundation, taking the total amount of grants to £650,000 for the Adobe UK Community Fund. Both London and Berkshire are home to many of Adobe’s 1400-strong UK team.
Adobe’s London office is located in Islington which, at 16.3 percent, is the London borough with the highest prevalence of people living with a disability. The Adobe Community Fund received support from Inclusion London, the sector experts, to ensure each community project chosen had a history of serving local communities and would benefit from the support of the fund. Funding was prioritised for Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations (DDPOs), organisations, where at least half of the board and/or staff comprise people who are deaf or living with a disability.
Inclusion London is delighted to have been a part of the first ever Adobe Community Fund in London. We joined the panel to share our expertise around lived experience as a tool for social change and why it is important to reflect upon this throughout the funding process. Digital and social exclusion has a complex affect upon Deaf and Disabled people as well as wider society. We were honoured to have supported the process to award funding to small and user-led organisations to address this issue. We look forward to watching how the funded projects push for impactful change, creating a more inclusive London.Charlet Wilson, Inclusion London
The London Community Foundation are pleased to announce the 12 local specialist organisations and charities who have received support from the new Adobe Community Fund. These organisations include:
Club Soda
The Croydon-based organisation empowers individuals with learning disabilities by providing creative opportunities and digital media training.
“We are thrilled to receive this generous grant which will enable us to further develop our Leisure Link project. This funding will allow 30 participants to develop core digital skills and contribute to the production of our online content, bi-monthly magazine, and podcasts, promoting greater inclusion in Croydon's cultural scene.” (Oliver Tripper, Director)
Middlesex Association for the Blind
People in Haringey and Enfield with visual impairments will be empowered to access crucial online services through bespoke training, boosting their ability to live independently and tackle digital isolation.
“People with visual impairment battle with digital isolation. We have developed a highly effective service whereby we visit people in their homes, helping them to join the online world in the quickest and most effective way possible. With your help, we are changing lives!” (Catherine Holtzhausen, Fundraising Manager)
Disability Action Haringey
This DDPO is enabling communities to co-design creative social activities that bring together deaf, disabled, and non-disabled locals.
“This generous grant, which will support an inclusive Creative Social Activities Programme co-designed by and open to over 300 D/deaf, disabled, and primarily older, non-disabled residents of Haringey. In partnership with Haringey Circle, we will continue fostering creativity and community engagement for all. This funding empowers us to create accessible, meaningful experiences that bring together people of all abilities and ages.” (Phil Stevens CEO)
Toucan Employment
The Lewisham-based organisation deliver inclusive digital literacy sessions in small groups for residents with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism.
“Digital literacy is essential for modern life, even more so post-Covid than before, but - unfortunately - too many people with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism are presently not able to access these systems as they should be able to, and this makes life much harder than it should be. We look forward to delivering this important work with Lewisham residents with learning difficulties/disabilities and autism and assisting them to achieve important outputs and outcomes for them." (Alex Margolies, CEO)
Barking & Dagenham Ab Phab Youth Club
Digital inclusion sessions and creative inclusion activities such as dance, mask making, drama performances and Carnival based arts sessions will be funded for young people with disabilities in Barking and Dagenham.
“We are expecting young people to develop digital skills which enable them to access community facilities more easily and be inspired to engage in creative art forms not normally available to them. Many thanks to Adobe Foundation and The London Community Foundation for this opportunity!” (Louise Harris, Youth Development Manager)
The goal of the Adobe UK Community Fund is simple: to make sure everyone, no matter their background or circumstance, has the chance to unlock their full potential. Access to the services they need and the opportunities they deserve.
We are thrilled to be part of this partnership, which holds tremendous potential for creating greater equity in London. The Adobe Foundation’s support will empower more individuals to amplify their voices, express their creativity, and access opportunities that were previously out of reach. It is especially encouraging to see Adobe championing disability charities and organisations, helping them advance projects that promote digital and creative inclusion. By working together with us and Inclusion London, the Adobe Foundation is taking meaningful action on an issue that deserves greater attention. We are deeply grateful for their collaborative spirit and leadership.Paul Buchanan, CEO, The London Community Foundation
The full list of organisations supported by The Adobe Community Fund in London can be viewed here: