‘Think global, act local’ could be an adopted mantra of the International Community Foundation movement as we connect place-based giving across the world to make a positive social impact.

On this theme, CEO Martha Wilkinson of Devon Community Foundation delivered a workshop on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which saw a number of community foundations and development colleagues from the UK, Poland, Germany and Mexico explore the idea of adopting the goals as an impact framework across the movement.

193 countries have signed up to the 17 SDGs which cover 169 targets, the fundamental idea being that we improve wellbeing of the economy, society and planet through partnership. For further information on the SDGs you can go to sustainabledevelopment.un.org.

Colleagues from the European Community Foundation Initiative feel that foundations are well placed to support and finance local solutions to current global challenges and that it provides a framework that helps in planning impact across the network, with donors and communities.

It is clear that across the 17 SDGs many community foundations are already addressing most in some way shape or form from Mexico and its Forest Preservation Initiatives to many UK Community Foundations addressing poverty. The framework could also be hugely motivational for staff and trustees in their work as well as an effective communications and public relations tool to showcase the effectiveness of community foundations and place-based giving.

We at Northamptonshire Community Foundation have already made a commitment to adopting the framework and have included it in our business development plan. We already have a commitment to measuring impact and in the current global climate crisis, deep levels of inequality and political turmoil, we believe it’s important to show how local civil society is playing its part to affect peace and prosperity for people and the planet.

Rachel McGrath is Deputy CEO/Grants Director of Northamptonshire Community Foundation