Our Place to Give: how the government's place-based philanthropy strategy seeks to reshape charitable giving

In April 2026, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published Our Place to Give, the government's first attempt to build a national framework for place-based philanthropy. At its core, the strategy seeks to encourage philanthropic funding to flow to the communities that need it most, particularly those outside London and the south east.

The underlying idea is not, of course, a new concept. Philanthropy in England has long been shaped by place. There are well-known examples of grant-making charities that have supported specific communities for centuries. What is new, however, is the government's attempt to coordinate this at a national level.

The sums involved are modest and the paper itself does not contain radical proposals or firm commitments. Its significance therefore lies less in its detail and more in what it tells us about the evolving relationship between philanthropy and the state.

What is the government trying to achieve through place-based philanthropy?

While the UK is a globally significant philanthropic market, its benefits are not evenly distributed. Around a third of funding from major foundations flows to London, leaving many regions comparatively underserved.

The government’s response is to encourage a more place-based philanthropy model – one in which giving is directed towards places and aligned with local needs. In practice, this means strengthening links between philanthropists, local authorities and community organisations, and creating better infrastructure for collaboration.

A more interventionist role for government?

One striking feature of the strategy is the government's proposed role.

UK philanthropy has traditionally operated at arm’s length from the state, with donors and foundations retaining control over how and where they give.

Our Place to Give appears to imagine a different model, in which the government acts not only as a facilitator but also as an active participant in shaping how philanthropic funding is directed.

For some, this brings optimism that philanthropy can become more effective through better coordination with public funding and local delivery. But there is an important question as to whether philanthropy risks losing its independence if it becomes too closely aligned with government-defined priorities.

The opportunities and challenges

Social and economic disadvantage in the UK is often geographically concentrated, and many would say that local organisations are best placed to respond to local need. At the same time, there are practical constraints to achieving the model the strategy envisages.

First, not all places are equally equipped to absorb philanthropic capital.

Secondly, place-based giving relies on collaboration between philanthropists, local authorities, charities and intermediaries. Managing these relationships is often far from straightforward.

Moreover, the strategy relies on encouraging donors to shift from national or cause-based giving to place-based philanthropy models. Philanthropy is deeply personal. Many donors understandably prioritise causes rather than places, or prefer to fund organisations they know well.

Implications for philanthropists and advisers

For philanthropists, the report assumes there will be increasing opportunities to collaborate with government and other funders. Place-based models raise important questions, including how to balance autonomy with collaboration, how to structure funding across multiple partners, and how to manage reputational and governance risks.

Place-based philanthropy often involves multi-party arrangements between donors, intermediaries (such as community foundations), local authorities and delivery organisations. This can give rise to more complex structuring issues than traditional grant-making.

For advisers, this is likely to become an increasingly important area. Governance, accountability, restricted funding and the interaction between charitable and public functions are all likely to become more prominent as collaboration deepens.

Where might it take us?

Our Place to Give is perhaps best seen as an enabling framework rather than a fully developed model. The funding it outlines is modest, and many of its proposals are tentative rather than transformative.

What is perhaps more notable is that it represents a statement of intent: that philanthropy should play a more deliberate role in addressing regional inequality, and that closer alignment between private giving and public priorities is both desirable and necessary.

Whether that leads to deeper collaboration or a blurring of institutional boundaries will depend less on the framework itself, and more on how philanthropists choose to respond.

This publication is a general summary of the law. It should not replace legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances.

© Farrer & Co LLP, June 2026