Working with Point North

A guide for Professional Advisers in County Durham and Tees Valley.

Download our introductory guide to working with Point North here.

Working with us

This guide explains how Point North works alongside professional advisers when clients wish to support their communities across County Durham and Tees Valley.

Professional advisers are often part of conversations about how clients can support the causes and communities that matter to them.

Sometimes the conversation begins with a practical question, about a charitable donation, a legacy, or the sale of a business.

Sometimes it starts because your client wants to contribute to the place they live or the issues they care about.

In those moments, you might be looking for a trusted partner who understands the charitable sector and can help turn generosity into meaningful local impact.

That is where Point North can help.

Our role

We work alongside professional advisers to support clients who want their philanthropy to benefit communities across County Durham and Tees Valley, the places we serve and know best.

Our role is not to replace legal, financial or tax advice. Those relationships remain central.

Instead, we provide:

Deep local knowledge of charities and community organisations built over 30 years in the region.
Charitable expertise to help shape effective philanthropy and make a lasting difference.
Grantmaking infrastructure that makes sure funding reaches organisations at the heart of local communities.
Grant assessments by our team who assess applications, and carry out due diligence on recipients.
Monitoring and reporting that allows your client to see how funding has been used and what their contributions have achieved in the community.
Investment oversight by our Board, who set and regularly reviews our cash and investment policy. Endowment funds are invested through carefully selected investment managers with an emphasis on ethical and sustainable investment.

For advisers, this means having a trusted local partner who can bring expert knowledge and practical insight when clients express an interest in philanthropy.

Why advisers come to Point North

Clients often want to support their community but are unsure where to start, not knowing how to make sure their contribution makes a difference.

Advisers may hear questions such as:

Which organisations are doing the most effective work locally?
How can we structure our charitable support over time?
How can we involve our family in decisions about philanthropy?
How do we know which organisations to support?

Advisers often involve us when clients would benefit from trusted local insight and practical support in turning charitable intentions into meaningful action.

How to talk to your clients about philanthropy and when to involve Point North.

Situations where we can help you

We regularly collaborate with professional advisers when clients are:

Selling a business and wishing to support the community where their success was built
Considering legacy giving as part of estate planning
Looking to support causes locally but unsure which organisations are best placed to deliver impact
Involving family members in charitable decision-making
Making a significant charitable gift and wanting confidence that it will be used effectively
Exploring a long-term approach to supporting their community

In these situations, our role is to bring charitable expertise and local knowledge that complements your professional guidance.

How we work with you

Every situation is different, but our collaboration usually follows a simple process.

Initial conversation

We begin with a conversation to understand your client’s interests, motivations and priorities.

Explore local opportunities

Drawing on our knowledge of communities across County Durham and Tees Valley, we help identify areas where support could make the greatest difference.

Design the approach

Working alongside the adviser, we help shape a practical approach to philanthropy that reflects your client’s goals and values.

Grantmaking and support

We manage the grantmaking process, ensure funding reaches effective organisations, and provide updates so your client can see the difference their support is making.

We keep giving simple, meaningful and rooted in the needs of our local communities.

The value we bring

Professional advisers choose to work with Point North because we offer:

Local intelligence

Through our grantmaking we work with hundreds of charities and community organisations each year. This gives us a detailed understanding of the issues facing communities and the organisations responding to them.

Due diligence

Advisers and clients often do not have the time to assess organisations in depth. Our grantmaking processes help ensure funding is directed to credible and effective projects.

Governance & administration

We manage the process of charitable grantmaking so that supporting communities remains straightforward for both advisers and clients.

Point North is a registered charity governed by a Board of Trustees, with established processes for assessing organisations and approving grants.

Long-term perspective

Many clients want their philanthropy to make a lasting difference. We can help design approaches that support communities not just today, but over time.

Download PDF

Download our guide for Professional Advisers

If you would like a concise overview you can share with colleagues or clients, you can download our short introductory guide to working with Point North.

Take the next step

If you’re a professional adviser and would like to explore giving options for your clients get in touch with Jane or Sarah using the email addresses below, or call us on 0191 378 6340.