Choosing what to fund
We tend to favour projects which are innovative, highly leveraged, and/or difficult to fund. We hope to address the root causes of a problem, not just the symptoms.
Our funding streams
We give through three streams: Fast Track – grants up to £8,000; Pools – grants up to £20,000; and Major Projects – multi-year grants of £100,000+. All our projects are sponsored by our members.
Funding areas
The following 11 overlapping topic areas are all ones we support. Some have a specialist group that collaborates on researching projects, while Racial Justice is led by an advisory group.
Environment
Specialist Group
The climate crisis, biodiversity loss, renewable energy, pollution of all kinds, marine conservation and transport are all areas we fund. The impact of the climate crisis on those least responsible for causing it is also a Network concern and we support campaigns for environmental justice including significant grants overseas. Two of our current Major Projects are Cutting Carbon Now, developing policies in support of the UK’s carbon targets; and Landworkers’ Alliance, building up a strong organisation for small-scale farmers and landworkers.
Racial justice
advisory group
Our Racial Justice Working Group promotes racial justice principles across all our grant-giving. Many of us seek out projects led by people from racialised minorities, and those directly addressing racial injustice. We look for projects that are “client led” where appropriate. One of our Major Projects is Windrush Justice, seeking redress for those members of the Windrush generation who have been denied citizenship, employment, pensions and healthcare by discriminatory government policies.
Young people defending the climate
We supported African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, to enable outstanding, locally experienced, young people to engage with international climate negotiations.
Peace
Specialist group
Projects we fund include local peace initiatives in conflict areas and finding solutions for divided communities. We also support coordinated research on nuclear risks and the technical aspects of peace-keeping. A recent Major Project, Remote Warfare, focused on the risks and limitations of using drones in conflict zones. Other grants have supported campaigns against child soldiers, gun crime and militarism. We promote diplomatic efforts to prevent conflict, and we support human rights defenders.
Economic justice
Specialist group
We support campaigns for greater financial transparency and financial regulation, and for a fairer taxation system, as well as greater accountability by those who hold economic power. We believe rapidly growing inequality undermines almost all social progress and makes society less caring and cohesive. A recent Major Project called One Society promoted The Equality Trust. Our current Labour Rights Major Project addresses inequality in the workplace. We support the cooperative movement.
Human rights
Specialist group
In the UK, we have focused on serious discrepancies in the criminal justice system, and the injustices experienced by a wide range of minorities, whether they be people with disabilities, LGBTQ+, Roma, Muslim, other racialised minorities or homeless people. We have supported many projects in all parts of the globe supporting indigenous communities against exploitation, land-grabbing, resource extraction, pollution and violence.
Health justice
Specialist group
In the UK and globally, we fund campaigns aimed at preventing health injustices, and at improving access to provision for both physical and mental health. We like projects that are client-led. We support reproductive rights and access to abortion, as well as work to enhance positive attitudes to disability.
Overseas funding
We fund environmental and human rights campaigns in the global south, as well as practical projects such as protecting and planting mangroves. We also fund in Europe where we believe it is possible to address relevant EU policy. Overseas grants reflect our general priorities and values.
Women
Many of our projects both in the UK and overseas seek to address and rectify the marginalisation, disempowerment and abuse of women. For example, a recent social enterprise project we funded in Glasgow, Saheliya, provides practical support for minority women who have experienced racial inequality.
Democracy
This is an increasing concern of ours, reflected in support for organisations engaged in exposing the influence of dark money and the distortion of truth. Support for activists protecting democratic rights across the world is also a priority, as is raising voting levels amongst young people, Black people and other people of colour in the UK.
Arts and education for change
Specialist group
We look for arts and education projects that support our values in promoting racial justice, human rights and the environment. We have funded community arts projects, schools projects that teach against gambling, and refugee music groups. Many of our projects in this area aim to support young people; and many are led by Black people and other people of colour.
Refugees and asylum seekers
For many years we have supported projects benefiting —and often run by— refugees. These include refugee centres and financial support for destitute migrants. A recent Major Project, Asylum Matters, was created to amplify the voices of asylum seekers, shift attitudes and influence asylum policy, in partnership with Still Human Still Here.
Charitable and non-charitable funding
All project applications are reviewed and carefully assessed by members, and then a specialised sub-group checks to ensure that charitable grants comply with charitable law and applicable tax regulations. Members jointly decide which projects they recommend to be offered a grant but the final decision is approved by the appropriate boards of directors and made subject to the acceptance of the grant conditions.
About 80% of our funding is paid through our charity Network for Social Change Charitable Trust. Giving charitably enables Gift Aid to be claimed, making our giving go further.
But not all projects are eligible to receive charitable funds. By funding through our non-charitable company Funding for Social Change Ltd we are able to support a wider range of projects which may not be eligible for charitable funding. For example, we may choose to support projects which are edgy or innovative or have a more campaigning aspect. Funding with non-charitable funds gives us scope for greater choice, to be more radical and to challenge conventional assumptions.
In other cases, the recipient organisation may not be adequately constituted or have strong enough governance structures for a charitable grant to be made. If the grantee or the project is located overseas, we may not able to exercise sufficient oversight ourselves or through a charitable partner. Making such grants through our non-charitable funding stream facilitates support for projects abroad.
Whether charitable or non-charitable, Network only supports projects and organisations that are non-party-political, which act within the law and are non-violent. We do not fund responses to one-off disasters or most types of building.
If you are a grant-seeker and would like to bring your idea to the attention of our members in order to find a sponsor among them, please Share your project.
