Creating a funder support offer that responds to need at the frontline

Becoming a more equitable grant maker takes time. It takes listening, learning and having honest conversations about what support our funded partners actually need from us. 

This is why investing in Funder Plus support has become central to our work as a funder. We want the organisations we support to have the space and flexibility to plan, grow and strategize long term

We started by asking. An introductory survey and meetings with organisations helped us understand where the gaps were and what support would actually make a difference. We wanted to build our Funder Plus programme around real need, not assumption. 

The picture that emerged was clear: when it comes to EDI, organisations need practical guidance and tools they can embed into everyday practice. This includes training to develop approaches which integrate anti-racism, anti-oppression and help them reach and engage underserved communities. 

We also heard something just as important: organisations want to learn from each other. Peer support, sharing what works and developing understanding about what it really means to be representative of the communities they serve came through as real and pressing needs. 

We took that feedback and shaped our support around it. Through our Funder Plus programme, the LAPG Management and Leadership Hub convened spaces for peer learning and set up communities of interest around themes like Inclusion and Disability and Learning Labs on topics that would be timely and supportive for organisations in the not-for-profit sector. These are spaces where funded partners can share experiences, ask questions and work through what making services more accessible, inclusive and equitable looks like in practice. 

Rather than trying to impose uniformity across a varied cohort, the Hub has found that flexible, organisation-level frameworks work better. As Matt Howgate Director of the LAPG Management and Leadership Hub put it: 

We also took this conversation to funders. At our March Social Justice Funders Group, we heard from others taking collaborative approaches to supporting civil society. It reinforced something we believe strongly:

As we continue to learn, we’re taking steps to better understand the different challenges that diverse organisations face and where we can have the most impact. 

Honest conversations keep pointing us in the right direction. So, we’ll keep bringing organisations together, getting out to visit them in the field and investing in infrastructure through long-term funding and relevant support that builds real resilience. 

That’s what a sustainable frontline depends on.