Place Based Giving is a movement that is taking hold across London and is mobilising communities at a grassroots level to act to strengthen their boroughs.
Giving schemes are empowering people, businesses and organisations to come together to build a better borough for everyone. Based on the notion that we can all give something - time, skills and money - we channel those resources into aligned action that strategically addresses neighbourhood need in a joined-up way.
In the capital, London Funders supports the development of Place Based Giving Schemes (PBGS), and is a key contributor to the national and global conversation about the importance of place, citizen voice and cross-sector partnership to systems change. For a broad overview, our latest report, The Power of People, Partnerships and Place outlines best practice, displays case studies and makes the case for more coordinated work at a local level.
The support that London Funders offers is responsive and tailored to the needs of our network and the environment they operate in. Here is how we can help you and your place:
1. Convening and Connecting
We use our network of practitioners and supporters at London’s Giving, as well as the wider London Funders network, to share best practice and connect PBGSs to potential partners and supporters. This happens in a variety of different ways:
Masterclasses and Events. We run regular Masterclasses on subjects common to PBGSs on topics such as running events, resident consultation and engaging with businesses.
Regular meetings for Development Leads: We convene regular Development Lead meetings (for individuals who lead PBGSs) where they can share updates and learning, and support and encourage one another.
Promoting the Network. We act as ambassadors and advocates for PBGSs, promoting their work to our wider network and taking opportunities to connect them to potential partners and supporters.
Engaging with Funders. We act as a point of contact between funders and the PBGS network on collective matters of interest, such as the City Bridge Trust and the National Community Lottery Fund.
2. Sharing and Learning
Through our work with giving schemes across London, we have unique insight into what works, (and perhaps more importantly what doesn’t) when setting up and running a PBGS. We recognise that learning from London’s Giving can help many stakeholders to make their local area a better place for everyone, and we make sure to share everything we do:
Reports and Roundtables. We have published two reports top showcase the work of the giving movement, and we bring together thought leaders from think tanks, the public sector, funders and place based specialists to develop strategic thinking about the future of place based giving.
Online resources. Our website is a forum to share news, blogs and our developing toolkit of resources for PBGSs.
Monitoring and Evaluation. Our partner Rocket Science carries out annual research to measure the impact of our network, both in terms of the value of their work and their journey as a developing PBGS. We share the aggregate figures with the wider London Funders network, and each PBGS receives their own report showing what they have achieved during the year.
3. One to One Support
“London’s Giving has been and continues to be a source of expertise for our journey of development, and we gained so much practically and emotionally from being part of its dynamic and generous network”. Here’s the one-to-one support that we provide for both developing and established PBGS:
Guidance for the first steps
- Advice for lead agencies about the first steps in developing a giving scheme – particularly the benefits and pitfalls, partnership working, governance and the investment required.
- Supporting stakeholder meetings. One of the first steps in establishing a PBGS is bringing together local stakeholders. We can chair or support initial meetings, presenting an introduction to place based giving for partners new to the network, showing what is possible and setting out the first steps in the process.
- Recruitment of PBGS Directors. We have a library of job descriptions and can advise on the difficult task of finding the right person to take on the leadership of a developing PBGS. Our consultants regularly sit on recruitment panels.
Support for Development Leads
- London’s Giving consultants are available to Development Leads for enquiries and support at any time. It’s a challenging, multi-faceted role and we are happy to be there to bounce ideas off and call on the experience of other schemes and the wider network to problem solve and signpost them to people who can help if we can’t.
Support for Chairs and Boards
- We bring Chairs together for networking, and our consultants attend board/steering group meetings as advisors for several PBGSs, bringing to the board examples of best practice from across London and offering expertise and connections throughout the development process. We can also offer one to one consultancy to trustee boards and Chairs (eg strategic away days, trouble shooting around governance issues).
4. Legacy Building and Looking to the Future
London Funders' ambition is for a sustainable movement of PBGS across the capital. Through London’s Giving and its wider work on place based funding, London Funders is working towards securing a sustainable legacy with the mechanisms in place to support place based giving in London and beyond into the future. We will do this through:
- Making a compelling case for PBGS in the wider funding and civil society policy agenda,
- Increasing the profile of PBGS with potential partners and funders
- Linking PBGS into wider movements that can support its growth and sustainability
- Lead and facilitate create culture change in local areas and cold spots to enable growth of Giving movement.
If you are thinking about establishing a PBGS or want to find out more about joining our network, please contact us at [email protected]