Since joining Devon Community Foundation, one of the things I have found most rewarding is the opportunity to work alongside professional advisers and their clients to help make philanthropy as meaningful and impactful as possible.
My career has always been rooted in the belief that well-directed charitable giving can change lives. Before joining Devon Community Foundation, I was CEO of Exeter Leukaemia Fund, supporting people affected by blood cancer and working closely with the NHS, families and communities across Devon. Earlier in my career, I also worked to raise funds for scholarships that enabled disadvantaged students to attend university.
These experiences have given me a strong understanding of both sides of philanthropy: the generosity of people who want to make a difference, and the incredible work of the organisations and communities that turn that generosity into real change.
This is what makes my role at Devon Community Foundation particularly exciting. We have a unique understanding of the needs and opportunities across Devon, built through decades of working alongside local charities, community groups and voluntary organisations. We see first-hand where support is needed and the difference that funding can make.
For high-net-worth individuals and families, choosing where and how to give can sometimes be difficult. There are countless worthwhile causes and organisations, and it can be challenging to know where a donation will have the greatest impact. I really enjoy being able to help people navigate those choices – listening to what matters to them, sharing our local knowledge and helping them develop a philanthropic approach that reflects their interests and values.
There are also many different ways to structure charitable giving. A fund with DCF operates in a similar way to Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and offer individuals and families a flexible and straightforward way to manage their charitable giving, without the burden of managing the finance and governance associated with an independent DAF. We can help donors explore whether a Fund is right for them and provide the local insight needed to make informed decisions about where their giving can have the greatest impact.
Legacy giving is another powerful way to create a lasting difference. A gift in a Will can provide valuable support to communities for generations to come, while also allowing individuals to reflect their values and the causes they care about long into the future. I find it particularly inspiring to talk to people about how they might use a legacy to leave something positive behind for future generations in Devon.
The other side of this work is equally rewarding. I have the privilege of meeting groups and organisations across Devon that are doing extraordinary things, often with very limited resources. They understand the challenges facing their communities because they are part of those communities. Being able to help connect them with the funding they need to continue or grow their work is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my role.
Working with professional advisers is an important part of bringing these two worlds together. Wealth managers, solicitors, accountants and other trusted advisers have an important role in helping their clients think about their wider financial and charitable ambitions. We can complement that advice by bringing our specialist knowledge of philanthropy and our understanding of Devon’s communities.
Ultimately, good philanthropy is about connection: connecting the aspirations of donors with the needs of communities and making sure that generosity reaches the people and organisations where it can make the greatest difference.
I am looking forward to building stronger relationships with professional advisers across Devon and to sharing our expertise with those who want to explore how their clients’ giving can create meaningful and lasting impact – whether through a Fund, a legacy or another approach to philanthropy.
If you are a professional adviser and would like to explore how we could work together, I would be very pleased to hear from you.
Please drop me a line at msouthwood@devoncf.com to arrange a call or a meeting.
To find out more about our work, contact us at info@devoncf.com
