Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation

The Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation is a philanthropic and charitable organization that was established in March 2011 in Middlesbrough, England as a patriotic and activist group which aims to raise money from businesses and affluent individuals to make Teesside a better place in which to live, work and do business. Andy Preston set up the foundation with the help of Tanya Garland and since launch Preston has recruited the financial backing of more than 40 businesses and individuals. Businesses involved as patrons of the Foundation include Middlesbrough Football Club, Steve Gibson's Bulkhaul, Cleveland Cable Company, Barclays Middlesbrough and AV Dawson.

As of December 2016, the charity had raised more than £2 million. Having celebrated reaching the £1 million fundraising milestone in September 2015, weeks later the charity received a further £700,000 from an anonymous benefactor.

The Foundation holds an Annual Dinner which raises around £40,000 each year, usually with a local theme. Those who have hosted or performed at the dinner include presenters Ali Brownlee and Mark Page, and Patrick Monahan (comedian), while artist Mackenzie Thorpe has also been hugely supportive of the charity and its dinners.

The organization is creating new jobs in the area. In March 2016, it was reported that the charity had provided £40,000 to Community Campus '87 to create six apprenticeships for young, long-term unemployed people, helping to transform previously derelict properties into homes for homeless young people.

Middlesbrough Homeless Football Club was set up by the foundation, helping with initial funding of the club. The homeless football club was then moved to come under the umbrella of Middlesbrough and Teesside Sports Foundation, which also fell within the charity's remit.

The foundation and the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima) art gallery organized Love Where You Live, a contest billed as the "country's biggest art competition". £41,000 of prize money was awarded to local schools and community groups.

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