In May 2026, I was lead author of Partnering for Place: How mayoral combined authorities can mobilise philanthropy and the wider impact economy to deliver local priorities. The report was co-authored with Dominic Llewellyn, founder and CEO of AchieveGood, with support from The Rigby Foundation.

The report picks up where the final report of the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group left off. It turns the mobilisation mindset into practical guidance for mayoral combined authorities, using case studies from Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, the North East and the West Midlands. It sets out three ingredients for lasting partnerships with philanthropy, social investment and purposeful business:

• capability inside the authority to broker partnerships and structure finance

• visibility, through clear invitations to contribute in growth plans

• infrastructure, such as community foundations that hold funds and local knowledge across political cycles.

The report was launched with endorsements from ministers at the Cabinet Office, DCMS, the Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury, and from the Mayor for the West of England.

“What has been missing is the local architecture to receive and direct that energy productively. This report gives mayors a practical blueprint for building exactly that infrastructure.”
Lord Stockwood, Minister for Investment, Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury

“Partnering for Place is a must-read report, showing how, in this new era of devolution, mayors can connect national ambition, local knowledge, and private capital.”
Helen Godwin, Mayor for the West of England