You may already be involved in philanthropy, even if it’s not something you’ve really thought about in those terms before, as it’s about having a genuine concern for humankind and being motivated to do something to help others. This could be your family, friends, neighbours or the communities you are part of – acting in ways that makes life better for others. Philanthropy and good causes go together, because helping others by giving to charities has a long tradition. Family trusts, foundations and legacy gifts have well-proven traditions in philanthropy and will always have their place, but there are new ways to giving too that can suit some peoples’ needs better. Giving circles bring like-minded people together to boost the impact of their individual gifts and can be a really good starting point for philanthropy too if you are not sure about where to begin. As there are so many ways to give, your independent financial advisor can make sure you are able to do so in the most tax-efficient way to meets your needs and the future plans you have. There are more opportunities now for people to get more closely involved with the causes they choose to support, perhaps by offering their skills and expertise as well as financial help. But it can be daunting to navigate your own way through the more than 160,000 registered charities in the UK – knowing which ones are the most effective, or where your support will make the most difference. And it’s equally difficult for the excellent small, local charities to get their name and work known when they just don’t have the teams of people employed to market and promote themselves in the way that the big national charities can. This is where Norfolk Community Foundation can help. We connect the people who want to make a difference with the causes that matter to them and their families. We know the local charities, their strengths and what they are capable of achieving if they get the support they need – support that you may well be best placed to give. We do all the due diligence to give you the assurance that your gift will hit the mark and pride ourselves on reaching right down into those local communities. You will know that the impact you are making will stay with local people and local places. So, if you want to think about making your giving really impactful, we would be delighted to talk to you about the opportunities that are ready and waiting for you. Contact us on 01603 623958 or [email protected] *A version of this article originally appeared in SG Wealth Management’s Vision Magazine (Winter 2018 issue)