Empowering Local Project


Empowering Local is a growing group of local, regional and national funders and infrastructure organisations committed to supporting place-based funding of the VCSE sector which meets the needs of children, young people and communities.

Empowering Local commissioned this research to increase understanding of how funders can best support place-based approaches to funding youth provision.

Between May – December 2022, YMCA George Williams College supported Empowering Local as a research partner to explore the role of funders in youth place-based funding, in order to increase understanding of how funders can best support place-based approaches to funding youth provision.

This research has 2 core areas of focus:

Impact: What is known about the role of funding/ funders in place-based approaches/initiatives, and how this contributes to positive change.

Process: What are the mechanisms and conditions (e.g., readiness) that make place-based funding effective? Focusing on embedding youth voice in decision-making and engagement with local, regional and national organisations.

These reports present the findings of our research and provides nine recommendations, grounded in evidence, for funders and small trusts seeking to develop their approaches to place-based funding in the youth sector.

Executive Summary Full Report

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Current members:

•Children in Need

•John Lyon’s Charity

•Paul Hamlyn Foundation

•The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)

•The National Lottery Community Fund

•Young Kensington and Chelsea

•Young Manchester

•Youth Focus North East (representing the Network of Regional Youth Work Units)

•Blagrave

•Rothschild Foundation

    •YPF Trust

    E4432 C65 FBCF 4395 A4 A9 54191 EFB20 CC

    If you have any questions or for further information, please contact [email protected]

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