The Government’s new strategy for growing place-based philanthropy is a welcome recognition that lasting change happens when giving is rooted in local knowledge, trusted relationships and shared action. For London’s Giving, it is also an important moment for a movement that has been building across the capital for more than a decade.
We welcome the publication of the Government’s new Our Place to Give strategy and the stronger national focus it brings to place-based philanthropy.
For those of us working in this space, the core idea is not new. We have long seen that when people, funders, businesses, public bodies and community organisations come together around a shared commitment to a place, giving can become more connected, more effective and more responsive to what local communities actually need. What matters is not only the flow of money, but the strength of the relationships, trust and shared purpose that sit behind it.
That is why this strategy matters. It signals growing recognition that philanthropy has an important role to play in supporting communities across the country, and that unlocking its full potential means connecting it more meaningfully to place.
At London’s Giving, this is the work we have been helping to build and support for more than 15 years. What began with one local model in Islington has grown into a movement of place-based giving initiatives across London, bringing together residents, businesses, funders and local organisations to strengthen their neighbourhoods and respond to local priorities. Across the capital, these initiatives have shown what is possible when communities are trusted, when resources are aligned locally, and when giving is shaped by a deeper understanding of place.
We are pleased to see London’s Giving referenced in the strategy as part of the wider story of place-based philanthropy. That recognition matters not simply because it reflects our work, but because it reflects the value of practical, long-term infrastructure for local giving. If we want more communities to benefit from philanthropy, we need more than generous intent alone. We need the networks, partnerships, shared learning and local leadership that make giving work well on the ground.
Place-based giving is powerful because it is not just about distributing funds. It is about building stronger local ecosystems. It is about creating the conditions for collaboration, backing local organisations that are often closest to the issues, and ensuring that communities have more influence over the decisions that affect them. In practice, that can mean connecting donors to trusted local partners, helping different sectors work together more effectively, and supporting action that is rooted in local ambition rather than imposed from elsewhere.
This feels especially important at a time when many communities are facing deep and overlapping challenges. Short-term and fragmented approaches are often not enough. Place-based giving offers something more relational and more durable. It allows different forms of contribution, including money, time, networks, knowledge and influence, to be brought together in ways that strengthen the social fabric of a place over time.
Saboohi Bukhari, Director of the Place Based Giving Resource Hub at London Funders, said:
We welcome the publication of Our Place to Give as an important recognition of the role place-based philanthropy can play in strengthening communities. Across London, we have seen how giving rooted in local relationships, knowledge and collaboration can unlock not only funding, but new partnerships, stronger civic infrastructure and more responsive support for communities. It is encouraging to see this reflected in national policy, and we hope it helps create the conditions for place-based giving to grow further across the country.
As London’s Giving, we know that place matters. We know that communities hold knowledge, assets and ideas that are too often overlooked. And we know that when giving is shaped by local relationships and shared responsibility, it can do far more than fund activity. It can help build stronger, fairer and more connected places.
We look forward to seeing how the strategy develops, and to continuing our role in sharing learning, supporting local initiatives across London and contributing to the wider movement for place-based giving.
You can read the Government’s strategy, Our Place to Give: a plan for growing place-based philanthropy, on GOV.UK
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