Four mistakes Russian donors make in the work with local communities
This reflection highlights four common mistakes donors make when engaging with local communities—from relying on visibility over needs, to applying inappropriate metrics and working in isolation. It underscores the importance of community foundations as intermediaries that provide local knowledge, support fair resource allocation and enable more collaborative, context-sensitive approaches to philanthropy.
COVID-19 August 2020 Community Foundations in Action: UK – Maintaining relationships with new donors
This case from the UK highlights how the Northamptonshire Community Foundation significantly expanded its donor base during the COVID-19 crisis while rapidly distributing funds to address urgent and emerging needs. It shows how strong local knowledge, agility and communication enabled effective support—from basic needs to mental health and culture—while also emphasising the importance of maintaining relationships with new donors beyond the crisis.
