Network: We’ve funded over 8,000 projects in the 40 years since we started
As a group, we fund social change projects beyond the familiar mainstream charities. Some are led by the people impacted by the issue they work on (client-led). Some funding is for groups advocating for specific policy changes. By relying on each other’s expertise and spreading the risk, we find and fund important and cutting-edge projects.
Our projects range from small, local organisations to major UK-wide policy initiatives, as well as projects overseas.
About 80% of our funding is charitable, awarded by Network for Social Change Charitable trust (NSCCT).
Some 20% of the funds we give are non-charitable, and goes through Funding for Social Change Ltd (FSC). This may be because the recipient organisation is not constituted, or is overseas, or not undertaking charitable work.
In the last year (2022-23) we continued to fund through our Major Projects programme, as well as through Pools and Fast Track grant streams. For previous years’ reports, these are available as PDFs.
Non-charitable Major Project grants 2022-23
Most of our funding for major projects is charitable, however in 2023, as part of the Labour Rights major project, we funded non-charitably:
- New Organising Conference brings together people from different backgrounds organising for workplace justice.
Non-charitable Pools grants 2022-23
Generally one-off funding up to £20,000. There is one round per year. Non-charitable Pools grants in 2022-23 were:
- African Youth Initiative on Climate Change For training and integrating outstanding, locally experienced, young people into climate negotiations, including COPs and international summits
- Association of Community Organisations for Reform Now (ACORN) Remote organising for community groups on housing, transport, low incomes, public services and the environment
- Black Economists Network Empowering black economists to access better career opportunities and contribute to equitable policy change
- Corporate Watch For Housing Profiteers, research to support housing campaigns; and Research against Racism, helping marginalised groups to win justice
- Declassified UK Media organisation using forensic reporting to uncover abuses of power and influence by corporations, the government and the military
- L’Auberge des Migrants For Human Rights Observers in Northern France, supporting migrants and opposing police evictions where significant violence is being used by the police
- Open Briefing Working internationally to protect activists through digital and physical security, and offering psychotherapeutic support to avoid burn-out
- Peace Track Initiative For the Southern Feminist Coalition (Yemen), bringing women’s needs into the peace process and enabling them to participate in negotiations and peacebuilding
- Policy Research in Macroeconomics (PRIME) Working for a Social Guarantee: influencing policy to provide universal access to life’s essentials, including a fair living income
- Retune Charity Ltd 80 wellbeing workshops for primary schools, using music and the SCALES model – Sleep, Creative, Active, Listen Earth and Social
- Stay Grounded Publicising the arguments against private jet use, airport expansion, frequent flying and “green” tourism, as well as calling out misinformation from the aviation industry
- Uplift Promoting the acceleration of the phase out of UK oil and gas production; research and support for other groups; and legal challenges
- We Own It Protecting public services from post-Brexit trade deals; and campaigning to reinstate our NHS as a fully public service
Non-charitable Fast Track grants 2022-23
Generally one-off funding of £5,000 – £8,000. In 2022-23 we awarded 14 non-charitable Fast Track grants through 4 funding rounds. Grants were:
- 3DCentre Opening Doors to Future Justice Advocates, enabling the next generation of justice advocates to effect social change in their communities and wider society
- AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power Queer Footprints Programme confronting the AIDS healthcare crisis, and publicising the ongoing issues
- BESEA.N Grassroots organisation with a mission to empower, educate and raise awareness about East and South East Asian (ESEA) communities in the UK
- Climate Emergence Wellbeing and the environment movement – supporting sustainability from the inside out
- Coexist Community Kitchen Non-profit cookery school and community space in Easton, Bristol, using food to connect socially marginalised and disenfranchised people
- Community Farm Volunteering in Chew Valley –progression opportunities for refugees, asylum seekers and those with mental ill health
- Fair Tax Foundation Exposing the way UK public procurement contracts are won by businesses linked to offshore tax havens
- Glasbren CIC Building agency and regenerative skills in rural communities, Glasbren, Carmarthenshire
- Make Votes Matter Educational and campaigning work for proportional representation in UK elections; a cross-party people’s lobby
- Platform 6 Development Co-operative Ltd Co-operation for Climate Solutions: A conference to explore how practical co-operative models can help deliver climate justice
- Stir to Action Diversifying “barefoot advisors” in the Cooperative sector and encouraging minority communities to participate
- Stop Deportation Centre Protest camp against deportation; part of the campaign to stop the construction of a deportation prison at Berlin airport
- Together Against Sizewell C (TASC) To help fund a legal challenge by local people against planning consent for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant
- War Resisters International Campaigning for the human right to conscientious objection to military service in Turkey
Download 5-year Funding Reports in PDF format for Funding for Social Change Ltd.
