See blog posts from our team, partners, founders and network, on topics affecting the philanthropy sector.
What inspires somebody to set up an outfit for their philanthropy? In this article, we speak to Nicola and Ajaz from Ajaz.org. The duo talk about why they support children and families in need, the approach they take to funding, and what advice they have for new givers.
How do we increase the amount of wealthy philanthropy in the UK without understanding how many potential givers there are? Beacon co-founder Cath Dovey takes on the task in this article, quantifying the target demographic and doubling-down on the importance of strong donor/charity relationships.
Covid saw the philanthropy sector collaborate to make amazing things happen. Funders worked together in brand new ways to bring money to where it was critically needed. Attempting to expand this collaborative spirit, the Association of Charitable Foundations has created the Funders Collaborative Hub. Jim Cooke, leading the project, tells us more…
This week, Michael Gove announce the long-awaited Levelling-Up white paper. The ambitious plan looks to rocket-boost ‘left-behind’ communities around the UK. But with no new money coming from Treasury, we consider the increasingly important role of engaging philanthropists in the project.
“Attacks on ‘big giving’ have become more commonplace over the last decade,” states Dr Beth Breeze. But in a world where charities are reliant on donations from the wealthy, allowing this narrative to go entirely unchallenged risks donations drying up. Beth lays out why so many fundamental philanthropy criticisms are unfounded.
In this edition Philanthropy Right Now, Marie-Louise Gourlay reflects on the recent #Partygate revelations. She looks at the damage these revelations have done to public confidence in the government and asks what lessons we, as funders, can take forward into our own philanthropic partnerships.
Fake news, propaganda, corruption. Elements found far too often in the UK media. But can hope be found in an unlikely ally? Jonathan Heawood, director of Public Interest News Foundation, analyses the topic and how donors can help to realise a better media landscape.
Beacon has been tracking giving in the UK’s millionaire population since the start of Covid. The most recent results, our 7th survey, provide the opportunity to reflect on the imperative role of good data in encouraging greater giving. The article also highlights the results of the December 2021 survey.
If we want to see philanthropy in the UK grow, it is essential that we become more comfortable celebrating it. This is the argument put forward by Beacon director Sarah Jane O’Neill, as she reviews 2022’s New Year’s Honours List. This year’s list reveals that philanthropy is referenced just 9 times out of 1,278 honours.
The Beacon Collaborative