The Million Pound Donors Report 2011 - Coutts

Discussion
the million pound donors report 2011
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Discussion
a. The growing prominence of local giving
This is intended to counter the cynicism about the
motivations of major donors that persists in the UK –
particularly in some sections of the media. A significant
example is the creation of a new philanthropy committee
to review candidates for honours.
Non-governmental philanthropy initiatives
The past twelve months have also seen a variety of
pro-philanthropic activity outside government.
For example, Philanthropy UK, the leading resource for
free and impartial advice to aspiring philanthropists, has
attracted ongoing funding for its work, and re-launched its
website at www.philanthropyuk.org
The most high profile non-governmental initiative of 2011
was The Philanthropy Review, a sector-led inquiry, which
sought to encourage more giving by a larger number of
people. The Philanthropy Review was launched in
December 2010 and published its final report in June 2011,
which contained three sets of specific proposals:
1. Making it easier to give, for example by promoting
payroll giving and establishing charity bank accounts.
2. Encouraging giving, for example by extending tax
breaks to donations of all types of assets and by
introducing Lifetime Legacies 9 .
3. Changing the culture of giving, for example by
educating a larger number of children about giving from
an earlier age, and by launching a national campaign
called Give More to galvanise support for charities
during these difficult economic times.
Although the inquiry has finished, a core group of The
Philanthropy Review will continue to meet to oversee
implementation of its recommendations. It is therefore
likely to continue to be a key player in the philanthropy
sector in the coming year, not least because it has
earmarked 2012 as ‘a year where giving is celebrated, where
more people think about what they give and where those
who can, pledge to give more’.
Local philanthropy gives donors the opportunity to make
a contribution to a community that matters to them
personally, whether it be the area where they grew up,
built their business, raised a family or have a special
connection for some other reason.
This type of philanthropy has risen in prominence during
2011, and promises to continue to attract attention into
2012 and beyond. Efforts to promote local philanthropy are
being initiated in a wide variety of sectors including the
government, the media, charities and corporations, as the
following three examples show.
One of the most prominent geographically defined
philanthropic initiatives that has arisen in recent years is
the London Dispossessed Fund, organised by the Evening
Standard newspaper. Begun in summer 2010, it has now
raised over £7 million to address the causes and effects of
poverty in the capital city. The riots of 2011, which started
in London and caused greatest damage in areas already
experiencing high levels of deprivation - such as
Tottenham and Lewisham – brought new momentum,
and monies are now being distributed to riot-hit areas.
The fund is being run in partnership with Community
Foundation Network (CFN), whose chief executive,
Stephen Hammersley, says:
“This initiative tapped into the desire of Londoners
to make a difference. Some of the well-off gave
significant sums and many others gave smaller
amounts. People also volunteered, and community
groups were equipped to change people’s lives for the
better as a result. This goes on around the country all
the time, enabled by community foundations. In
London, the partnership with the London Evening
Standard newspaper - which ran a series of stories
highlighting the plight of disadvantaged Londoners –
provided the oxygen of publicity and profile that took
it to a new level.”
CFN is also spearheading a new three-year project to
transform local philanthropy across the UK. The Esmée
Fairbairn Foundation is funding the initiative to the tune
of £750,000 to mark its own 50th anniversary. This will
be used to create a fellowship of local philanthropists.
Activities will include donor education and donor
networking events, with the ultimate aim of strengthening
the culture of local giving across the UK. Commenting on
this initiative, Clare Brooks, Director of Philanthropy at
CFN, says:
“The idea of creating a fellowship of local
philanthropists came about as a response to the
realisation that sociability and conviviality make
philanthropy more attractive to potential donors.
Donors really do enjoy getting together and swapping
stories, contacts, skills and information. We are
delighted that The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation has
chosen to support this initiative, and are convinced
it will help to encourage more and better giving.”
In September 2011 a new report focused on local
philanthropy was published by Coutts. Inspiring Local
Philanthropy: Making a difference in local communities was
produced as a result of the many conversations Coutts
has with clients who want to support the communities
they care about.
The report highlights the contribution of philanthropy to
local communities, showing donors how to get started, and
sharing inspiring approaches and stories. One of the donors
featured in the report is Andrew Preston, who created his
wealth by working in the financial sector in London, before
returning to live and concentrate his giving in his home
town of Middlesborough. He is quoted as saying: “I just
feel a sense of pride about where I grew up and I think it is
my duty to help the community.”
The report also includes a profile of Peter Saunders OBE,
who lives and has built his business in rural Wales, where
he now channels his charitable activity. He describes some
of the many advantages of focusing philanthropy on a local
geographic area: “The great thing about giving locally is
that you have intimate knowledge of that area. This means
that you can select what you fund wisely, get involved with
the causes and influence what happens with the funding”.
The case studies of million pound donors contained in all
editions of the Million Pound Donors Report show that
many of the nation’s biggest donors focus their giving on a
particular geographical area.
The charitable trust established by Mary Cornish,
profiled in this edition of the Million Pound Donors
Report, gives to projects in Yorkshire. This focus is
described as a result of both practical and personal factors
that are relevant to herself as a donor and to her fellow
trustees, as she explains: “We all just decided it would be
a lot tidier and a lot more personal to us if we restricted it
to the county where we lived and worked”.
Mary Cornish also says the geographical restriction makes
it easier to visit projects, either during the application
process or after funding has been provided, to see how the
work is progressing. The opportunity to see the projects
they have funded in action and to meet staff, volunteers
and beneficiaries, is often cited as important for donors.
In sum, local giving is viewed by many philanthropists as
an especially satisfying way to support the causes they
care about, because it makes the philanthropy more
meaningful, which in turn can make it more real, inspiring
and enjoyable.
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