The Cabinet Office has published the Government's initial ideas for building a stronger culture of giving time and money.

The ideas aim to start a national debate on society’s attitudes to giving.

The Giving Green Paper proposes a new role for government as a facilitator of giving, making it easier for philanthropists, volunteers and charities to form partnerships.

The Government wants to develop low-cost but highly effective ideas for large organisations to support charities.

One idea is to give publicity to our partner charities on government websites. Another is to open up buildings that are under-used to charitable activity.

Other major policy proposals in the paper include:

A £50million Community First Fund to invest in local savings schemes that pay out small grants well into the future in the most deprived areas. It will match contributions from local donors to encourage more giving.

A £10million Volunteer Match Fund to double the benefit of private donations to voluntary projects.

Harnessing new technology: including working with mobile phone companies to encourage charitable phone applications.

Also talking to banks about donations through ATMs and widening access for people to make small charitable donations when paying for goods by cards.

Encouraging a new focus reciprocal giving with ideas like setting up an ebay style online community where people can trade time.

A government review of the relationship between financial incentives and giving.

Support to encourage charitable giving in schools.

Francis Maude, minister for the Cabinet Office, said: "Big Society is about creating a country in which people are in control. People giving time, money, assets, skills and knowledge all drive social action and help make life better for all.

"This Green Paper offers practical common sense ways we can boost charitable giving. And it’s just the start. We think government can also have a new role, bringing people together to find new ways to support charitable and voluntary action and highlighting the excellent work that is happening already.

“We are arguing for new social attitudes that celebrate giving. Talking about what we do for good causes is often seen as vulgar. But sharing experiences can inspire others.

"Giving is too often caricaturised as worthy and selfless, a one way street, but there’s nothing wrong with doing things for each other and repaying kindnesses. If we can agree as a society the values that underpin helping each other we can unlock huge potential for a stronger, bigger society."

The Green Paper is open for consultation and the Government is encouraging anyone who has views on how society should support charitable giving to get in touch.

The consultation will close on 9 March 2011, responses can be made by emailing: giving@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk

NCVO CEO, Sir Stuart Etherington commented on the Green Paper: "This paper opens up a welcome dialogue about how everyone can play their part in building on and stimulating greater levels of giving and participation in the UK.

"Its publication comes at a critical point for the voluntary and community sector, as the economic climate coupled with an increase in demand for vital services will see giving and philanthropy become more important than ever in the months ahead.

"We are pleased that the paper prioritises reviewing some of the major obstacles to giving and participation, especially through the Red Tape Taskforce and the proposals for Gift Aid reform. It also identifies a valuable role for government in enabling everyone to participate and bringing vital resources into the sector.

"We now need to move quickly and make progress in incentivising, supporting and rewarding a culture of giving."

Also commenting on the Green Paper, John Low, chief executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, said: "Britain is a generous nation with a long history of supporting those most in need. This Green Paper is welcome as it seeks to kick start some new initiatives which will make it easy to give and to build up existing ones.

"However, there is more that could be done to make it easier to take advantage of tax incentives including reforming the Gift Aid system, improving access to Give As You Earn and encouraging all types of tax effective giving.

"Every year around £750m is lost in unclaimed Gift Aid alone and a third of UK adults don't know that they can give to charity tax effectively.

“Many countries use Britain as an aspirational role model when developing their charity sectors but there are still lessons our Government can learn from the likes of the US where tax relief is no more generous than ours but much simpler to understand; resulting in a higher up-take level."

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