Localgiving

Localgiving

Localgiving is a UK-based charitable network and online fundraising platform that supports small and medium-sized charities, community groups, and social enterprises. It connects local organisations with donors, corporate sponsors, grant-makers, and public bodies, while offering digital tools, training, and advocacy to strengthen grassroots capacity. Through partnerships with foundations, trusts, and civic initiatives, the organisation aims to increase financial resilience and community impact across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

History

Localgiving was established in the late 2000s amid shifts in philanthropic practice and public policy, following debates associated with the Big Society agenda and reforms to public service delivery under the Brown ministry and Cameron ministry. The organisation emerged alongside contemporaries such as CAF and National Council for Voluntary Organisations during a period marked by the Financial crisis of 2007–2008 and subsequent austerity measures, which heightened demand for diversified funding for local charities. Early supporters and partners included regional funders, municipal initiatives tied to Local Government Association, and community foundations like Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Over time Localgiving developed relationships with national programmes and campaigns run by organisations such as BBC Children in Need and Comic Relief.

Mission and Activities

Localgiving's stated mission is to increase the financial sustainability and visibility of community-based organisations across the United Kingdom, similar in purpose to networks nurtured by The National Lottery Community Fund and philanthropic intermediaries such as Tate Foundation. Its activities encompass capacity building, online fundraising facilitation, volunteer mobilisation, and advocacy for local philanthropy alongside organisations like Nesta and Ashden. Programmes have included matched-giving initiatives that mirror models used by Crowdfunder and JustGiving, while offering governance support comparable to services from Small Charities Coalition and NCVO-affiliated projects. Localgiving also engages in research collaborations with academic institutions involved in third sector studies including University of Birmingham and London School of Economics.

Fundraising and Services

The platform provides subscription-based membership, online donation processing, Gift Aid facilitation, and CRM-style tools that enable organisations to manage supporters similarly to systems used by CAF Bank and Charitable Bank. Localgiving has run themed fundraising campaigns aligned with national events like Giving Tuesday and partners with corporate schemes akin to employee-giving programmes at HSBC and Barclays as well as cause-marketing efforts seen with Sainsbury's and Tesco. In addition to digital fundraising, services include training workshops, compliance guidance, safeguarding resources often linked with standards from NCVO and networking opportunities paralleling regional hubs such as Community Foundation Network. The organisation has hosted grant rounds in coordination with trusts such as Lloyds Bank Foundation and public funders including local authorities and mayoral offices.

Governance and Funding

Localgiving operates under a charity governance structure featuring a board of trustees drawn from sectors including philanthropy, tech, and community development, reminiscent of governance seen at Charity Commission for England and Wales-regulated bodies. Funding sources combine membership fees, philanthropic grants, corporate partnerships, and earned income from transaction fees, a model comparable to blended-income approaches used by Urban Transport Group partner organisations. Major funders and partners over time have included foundations like Barrow Cadbury Trust and initiatives co-funded by public-private partnerships such as those seen with Arts Council England commissioning models. The organisation’s financial reporting and regulatory compliance follow standards set out by bodies including the Charity Commission and professional practice exemplars from Institute of Fundraising.

Impact and Criticism

Localgiving reports measurable outcomes in terms of funds raised for grassroots groups, improvements in organisational capacity, and increased visibility for community projects, with impact assessments similar in method to evaluations by Joseph Rowntree Foundation and New Philanthropy Capital. Independent analyses have highlighted successful matched-funding rounds and membership growth, while comparative studies note parallels with platforms like JustGiving and Crowdfunder in democratizing access to philanthropy. Criticism has focused on transaction costs, sustainability of subscription models, and the challenge of reaching the most marginalised communities—issues also raised in evaluations of decentralised funding mechanisms by NPC and debates inside the Third Sector about scale versus localism. Discussions in policy forums and sector conferences involving All-Party Parliamentary Group on Charity and Voluntary Sector and House of Lords inquiries have considered how intermediaries like Localgiving fit into broader civil society ecosystems and resilience strategies.

Category:Charities based in the United Kingdom