Giving Green Paper (2010)

Report
December 2010
HM Government

The Government’s Giving Green Paper has kickstarted the debate around how to catalyse a culture shift that makes social action a norm, wrapping five key tenets it believes could bring this about in the acronym 'GIVES'.

The paper highlights greater opportunities for people to give ‘with the grain’ of their lives, better information about giving, making giving more visible, recognising the exchange and reciprocity giving and supporting organisations in taking a role in Big Society.

Greater opportunities include harnessing new technology, better asking and identifying more opportunities to volunteer. The paper offers many examples where this is already being achieved as well as suggesting new ways such as giving via cashpoints.

The paper also recognises the obstacles that prevent existing philanthropists from giving more money. It says there is a gap in the market for professional advice for philanthropists – currently, only 1% of the wealthiest individuals use philanthropic advisors to help them determine where to invest..

The Green Paper, which will fed into the Government White Paper, is supported by a number of essays by respected leaders and thinkers from a wide range of fields to share their thoughts on the subject of giving.

The essays cover a wide range of topics from practical issues such as the role of venture philanthropy and how to make better use of technology, to more philosophical perspectives such as the role of giving in increasing well-being.

 

This report is tagged under:

  • Big Society
  • Government, legal and tax issues
  • Promoting philanthropy