People considering setting up a new charity have been urged to think about donating towards a community foundation instead.

Nina Dauban, chief executive of the Nottinghamshire Community Foundation (NCF), said: “A killer fact is that 83.1% of charities are described as micro or small and they receive only 5.3% of charitable income. Conversely, only 3.2% of charities are large or major and they receive 78.1% of all charitable income.”

The Charity Commission has recommended community foundations to “help you work out where your local community needs support, identify local groups that are already meeting these needs and decide how to use donations strategically and effectively.”

NCF’s unique approach to philanthropy allows individuals and businesses to support their own specific local interests and causes and invest in the future of their community.

The foundation acts as a broker between people who care about their community and the voluntary organisations, community groups and charities who do the hands-on work to make a real difference where we live.

Nina said: “It seems to me that community foundations should no longer be a secret.

“We direct funds to the smallest and best local charitable organisations, we give high-quality advice to philanthropists, including showing them the impact of their money, and we are a great alternative to starting a charitable trust.”

For more information, go to www.nottscf.org.uk or email [email protected] or call 01623 620202.