Partnering for the Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remain the world’s shared blueprint for peace, prosperity and planetary health.  Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, the 17 SDGs set out a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and tackle inequalities by 2030 – underpinned by a principle of global partnership and shared responsibility.

Now beyond the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda, global progress tells a stark but motivating story: while important breakthroughs have been made, many targets are still lagging far behind where they need to be.  In parts of the world – such as the Asia and Pacific region – a large majority of measurable SDG targets are projected to be missed without urgent action and stronger collaborative effort.

The power of partnership in today’s SDG landscape

SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals sits at the heart of the 2030 Agenda.  It recognises that no single actor — neither governments nor multilateral institutions, nor philanthropy on its own – can achieve sustainable development in isolation. 

Cross-sector collaboration, pooling of resources and strengthening local implementation are essential components of successful SDG delivery.

Philanthropy plays a unique role in this ecosystem by:

• Providing flexible and catalytic funding that can de-risk innovation and enable long-term, community-driven solutions where traditional funding may not reach.

• Bridging sectors – convening civil society, local government, business and citizens around shared priorities.

• Amplifying local voices and insights to inform national and international policy agendas.

This role has only become more pivotal as global development faces intersecting challenges, including climate pressures, inequality and economic instability – realities emphasised in recent UN reviews of SDG progress.

Why local action matters – and where place-based philanthropy fits in

Place-based philanthropy invests in community-led solutions that reflect local priorities and contexts.  Across the UK and internationally, community foundations are supporting grassroots initiatives that map directly to SDG outcomes: from reducing poverty and improving health to fostering inclusive education and protecting the environment.

At a time when SDG implementation in some regions is struggling, this local focus is part of the global response.  Partnerships that start at neighbourhood level can generate models and evidence that inform national policy and accelerate broader impact.

 UKCF and its members support strategic collaboration in three complementary areas:

1. Strengthening community-level implementation
   By supporting grassroots organisations and local changemakers, community philanthropy translates the SDG agenda into tangible results on the ground.

2. Mobilising cross-sector support and shared learning
   Bringing together public, private and voluntary partners to co-design solutions ensures that resources, expertise and accountability are aligned.

3. Connecting local action to global learning
   Networks of community foundations exchange insights internationally –demonstrating that local responses can influence global practice and vice versa.

Partnership in a time of urgency

At the global level, the SDGs agenda is now widely seen as entering a critical phase.  Despite progress in some areas, recent evidence underscores the need for deeper collaboration and investment – particularly towards environmental sustainability, inequality reduction and resilient communities.  

Philanthropic organisations are key players in this global partnership architecture.

Community foundations around the world are already participating in networks that share learnings, co-invest in solutions and scale community-led innovation. 

This growing web of connections – local to local, and local to global – is exactly the kind of revitalised partnership envisioned by SDG 17.

Across the UK, community foundations are contributing to global ambitions.  With the essential support of local donors, they invest in organisations and charities that address the Global Goals from the roots of society.  Here are a few examples of what this looks like:

Levelling opportunity and tackling inequality

Collaborating with local authorities, voluntary groups and businesses, community foundations support young people facing economic disadvantage. Through joint investment funds, they support access to mentoring, skills development and community leadership programmes for thousands of young people.

Climate resilience and nature recovery

Community foundations partner with charities, local councils and community groups to strengthen climate resilience across rural and coastal communities.  Programmes have supported flood-mitigation initiatives, conservation work and practical sustainability projects, from habitat restoration to energy-saving improvements in community buildings.

Health, inclusion and community wellbeing

Working with NHS partners, mental-health charities and local grassroots groups, community foundations are able to channel funding into projects addressing loneliness, mental-health support, accessible sports and community-led wellbeing.  These collaborations help reduce pressure on statutory services while strengthening local networks of care.

Refugee support and social cohesion

In response to the needs of displaced people and asylum seekers, community foundations support local refugee organisations, housing providers and civic institutions that provide language classes, legal support, youth programmes and community-integration activities.

Together, locally-rooted efforts – empowered by place-based philanthropy in partnership with wider investment – can quietly but powerfully feed into the Global Goals everywhere.  They are the essential thread that strengthens the social and environmental fabric on which our shared future depends.