Oxfordshire Community Foundation Registered Charity No. 1046432,Philanthropy

The Oxfordshire Community Foundation believes the most expensive social problems facing the UK today can be addresssed by individuals and business engaging more broadly with the concept of community philanthropy. A recent report by New Philanthropy Capital for Barclays Wealth considers whether taking an economic approach to charitable giving could help to maximise its impact.

The report highlights some of the most difficult issues facing society. Using an economic approach, the report analyses interventions according to their potential to prevent problems that are costly to society, and improve people's earning potential, and therefore society's economic well-being.

The report centres on three issues:

Chaotic families
Children with conduct problems
Adults out of work due to mental health problems

All three cost society billions per year, and have a significant impact on the future of those they affect.

Charitable funding is often allocated according to personal beliefs and emotional connections. Society’s biggest problems do not attract the most money, and funding isn't spent on the most effective solutions. If resources are scarce, we should we think more about their allocation - an economic approach can help achieve this.

"Economic analysis cannot provide a 'final answer' for what donors should do, but it can help provide better answers. As this report shows, it can help to shed a light on difficult issues that are too often neglected, and present a powerful argument for why private funders should intervene and what they can achieve. If we want to attract more and better funding to tackle social problems, we have to find new and better ways of making the argument."

Martin Brookes, New Philanthropy Capital

Quote taken from a report published by Barclays Wealth

Early Interventions: An economic approach to charitable giving

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Marcelle Speller OBE

Click here to watch a video of Marcelle Speller talking about her path to philanthropy »»»

Marcelle Speller has a triangular vision: bringing together need, giving and expertise with the aim of helping thousands of the smallest charities and community groups raise vital funds for their local work via the internet.

Marcelle is the founder, Chief Executive and funder of Localgiving.com. She is also a trustee of Community Foundation Network, and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation. She was the sole owner of the company since its start up in 2008.

Localgiving.com is an online community where individuals can engage with small charities in their area. Having founded the website in 2008, Localgiving.com has completed its pilot stage and has launched in 26 areas of the UK, representing about 60% of the population. Localgiving.com allows anyone to find and support charities in their local area that address the causes and beneficiaries they care about - and they can see the impact first hand. All charities on the website have been vetted by their local Community Foundation.

After an MBA from INSEAD and years in advertising and marketing, including senior posts with American Express, Avis and Inter-Continental Hotels, in 1996 Speller co-founded Holiday-Rentals.com. It became Europe's leading website for advertising private holiday homes, and was sold to Homeaway Inc in 2005, giving Speller the resources to invest in Localgiving.com. Her inspiration came after attending the Institute for Philanthropy’s Philanthropy Workshop in 2007/8.

A non-profit social enterprise, Localgiving.com's shareholders are the community foundations, while Speller is transferring her shares to a personal foundation whose mission is to to enable philanthropic giving.

One blogger summed up what was special about Speller's work in launching Localgiving.com: "Her act of kindness ... encourages a million more acts of kindness from people like you and me."

Marcelle received an OBE in June 2011 for her extensive work in philanthropy.