In the US, rural philanthropy is an established field, providing a recognised lens through which to understand the particular challenges of rural communities, and the distinctive ways in which local organisations can respond to them with philanthropic support. To date the UK has not identified rural philanthropy in this way, and initial examination of the data suggests rural populations may be underserved by philanthropic investment.
DCF is collaborating with Somerset Community Foundation and the national research organisation IVAR, alongside a national steering group and UK Community Foundations, to develop a project defining the field of rural philanthropy in a UK context. The project looks to understand the level of philanthropic funding in rural areas, through a piece of quantitative and qualitative research. DCF’s Insight team will work with IVAR associates to conduct the research, which will also explore rural VCSE organisations’ experience, alongside that of their local and national funders. Through a series of deep dives into particular geographical contexts, we will take a detailed look at what the data tells us at ground level.
We are also keen to understand the value of philanthropic investment explicitly designed for rural communities. Community Foundations, along with other funders of work in rural areas, can provide a wealth of examples of creative mechanisms for addressing rural inequality, especially when this intersects with other aspects of disadvantage.
The research will take place between March and October 2026. We will publish further updates here as they become available.
For further information, please contact Nicola Frost: nfrost@devoncf.com
For more details about this project, you can read the full project brief.
You can find out more about our understanding of rural disadvantage and exploring the data in our blog post examining the latest release of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
