Across London, local communities are embracing place based giving to bring about positive change.
We all have something to give – be that time, skills, expertise, connections or money. Giving schemes bring together local people, businesses, charities and other organisations to look at how to best use these assets locally to build a better borough for everyone.
This year, 16 active place based giving schemes across London generously shared their data and insights about their work and the difference this has made. Alongside our learning partner Rocket Science, London Funders is delighted to present some of the key things we’ve learned, to celebrate, inform and inspire others to get involved in this growing movement.
Using insights drawn from the evaluation and our experience of supporting schemes first hand, the findings show the key role giving schemes have played as ‘connectors and conveners’ in the past year. Partnership work has accelerated, with many schemes playing a crucial part in the coordination of emergency responses during the pandemic. The trust that schemes had already built up with local partners enabled collaboration to flourish.
Place based giving schemes provide critical financial support to their communities, and their local knowledge brings a unique understanding of where funding can have the most impact. During the pandemic, schemes responded to an upswing in local giving in many parts of the city. They engaged new donors, and strengthened their links with local business to residents. In 2020/21, schemes distributed over £7.9m in grants, in addition to over £300k of in-kind support including laptops and data packs during lockdown.
But place based giving is more than grant making. It is an approach characterised by trust, openness and the courage to give away power and work differently. In the past year, schemes across the London’s Giving network have tested new models of working collaboratively, pioneering new ways of involving local people and supporting them to lead change in their own communities.
The pandemic has changed how we think about place – our community, where we live and how we can contribute more to it. With the idea that everyone has something to give is more prescient than ever, the next step is looking at how we can build a strong network of place based giving and unlock its potential for London’s future. The report sets out the opportunities to put schemes on a firm footing as we consider how London recovers from the pandemic.
Read more by downloading the report below.
To read the full findings of the 2021/22 Evaluation Report for London's Giving, you can also download the slide pack below.
