Tackling the root causes and long-term impacts of the riots: what can foundations do?
20 August 2024
By Jim Cooke, head of practice
In part one, I highlighted some of the immediate actions foundations have taken in response to the recent racist and Islamophobic violence.
A rapid response was essential as charities and community groups looked to funders to show solidarity, flexibility and, in some cases, emergency grants to support those worst affected.
But a short-term response alone will not address the deep-rooted issues that contributed to this violence or the enduring consequences of the trauma that has shaken many communities to the core.
This blog explores how foundations can play a vital role in the long-term, systemic work that will be needed to heal the harm experienced by racially minoritised groups in particular, and to strive for a more just and inclusive society.
1. Using data to drive action
In ACF’s Stronger Foundations report on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), we wrote: “A stronger foundation collects, tracks and publishes DEI data on its own practices and performance.” Examining data on “the amount of funding going to minoritised-led and migrant-led organisations, and to systems change solutions” is one of social entrepreneur Bonnie Chiu’s calls to action for funders in response to the riots.
In recent years, new tools have made it easier for funders to do this. The DEI Data Standard is a shared framework for monitoring how much funding reaches groups experiencing structural inequalities. It was developed by a group of funders who believed that without this data, there could be no effective action to target funding to address these inequalities.
The Funders for Race Equality Alliance has also developed a racial justice audit tool. This enables further analysis, such as whether grants are addressing root causes or symptoms of racial inequity. Paul Hamlyn Foundation has been using this tool for three years, and has written about how it has helped them reflect on their progress.
2. Building capacity and resilience through long-term, flexible support
Trust and flexibility were a key part of many foundations’ immediate response to the riots, enabling grants to be spent on whatever was most needed in a fast-moving situation.
A growing number of funders also recognise that flexible funding is not only beneficial in emergencies. More than 100 have signed IVAR’s open and trusting grant-makers pledge, which encourages more widespread use of unrestricted funding where possible.
By supporting the whole organisation, rather than restricting grants to specific projects, funders can contribute to building long-term capacity and resilience. This can be particularly vital for groups led by and for minoritised communities that have historically been underfunded.
People with lived experience of the UK migration system have highlighted the importance of investing in leadership development. This has been a key area of focus for Migration Exchange (a collaboration of funders and organisations in the UK migration and refugee field, hosted by Global Dialogue), who published this snapshot of leadership development in the sector.
Supporting staff and volunteers was prioritised by many funders at the height of the riots. This is another area where some might also consider longer-term support. Speaking on a recent Third Sector Podcast, Anj Handa, founder of Inspiring Women Changemakers, notes: “What I see is that clinical supervision [a model of support and reflection often used in healthcare settings] is needed within the sector, but many can’t afford it. What could you support and fund there?”
3. Collaborating with others
Our Stronger Foundations report encourages foundations to “collaborate with others to promote and implement DEI practices”. Funder collaboration to advance racial justice has seen considerable progress in recent years.
Along with the Funders for Race Equality Alliance and Migration Exchange, two other funder collaborations, the Justice Together Initiative (working towards fair and equal access to justice for people who use the immigration system) and the Civic Power Fund (a pooled fund for grassroots community organising) quickly came together following the riots to coordinate a response.
In doing so, they emphasised that they “do not want to address this urgency with short-term response and commitment”, noting that “systems change work needs deep, long-term investment and care in the most affected communities".
Funders interested in exploring collaboration can find out about existing opportunities by searching the Funders Collaborative Hub – and with various plans to convene funders taking shape at the time of writing, you can sign up here to receive future updates from the Hub.
4. Policy and advocacy work
As I mentioned in part one, many foundations took an active stance in the wake of the riots, publishing statements of solidarity and speaking out against racism and Islamophobia. Recognising the power that they hold, some will also want to add their voice and influence to longer-term policy and advocacy work to tackle the underlying causes of the racist violence.
This might be achieved by resourcing and amplifying campaigns led by others, or in some cases, foundations might use their own voice to speak up on behalf of their grant-holders who are constrained in doing so for political, financial or safety reasons.
For example, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales stated in their response to the riots: “We will continue to push for the change we need locally, regionally and nationally to influence policy and practice and address the root causes of this inequity.”
5. Accountability and shifting power
The recent open letter from individuals with lived experience of the UK migration system calls on funders to “hold yourselves and the sector accountable for embedding anti-racism in all practices”. What might this accountability look like?
Bonnie Chiu provides some examples: “Ensure adequate representation of those most affected by racism in decision-making processes, including adopting participatory grant-making practices; and commit to immersing ourselves within communities.”
Participatory grant-making methods have gained momentum in recent years and there is a wealth of resources available from the Participatory Grantmaking Community. Learning from experienced practitioners can help funders exploring participatory models to make sure they are adopting good practice. For example, considering how to remove any access barriers, ensuring participants’ safety and remunerating them for their time. Some foundations might prefer to collaborate with others who already have participatory mechanisms in place, as an alternative to creating their own processes in-house.
Beyond grant-making, foundations can also consider how they might shift power and demonstrate accountability in other areas, including their governance, employment practices and investments. These are big, often challenging, areas for foundations to unpick – but again, there are lots of resources that can help.
For example, Action for Trustee Racial Diversity has produced guidance on recruiting black and Asian trustees. ACF has published a member briefing (login required) on building an inclusive board culture. We also recently developed a practical toolkit for foundations who are interested in exploring the origins of their wealth in connection to historical enslavement.
“A long and ongoing process”
The practices I have explored in this blog reflect some of the main themes that I have seen in foundations’ work to tackle structural inequalities, and heard from anti-racism advocates in civil society. They are by no means an exhaustive list of how foundations can respond to the causes and consequences of the riots.
Nor are they a one-size-fits-all approach. Each foundation’s actions will be guided by their individual missions. Whatever areas of charitable activity a foundation may be focused on, understanding how these are affected by racism and structural inequalities is vital. For example, the People's Health Trust’s response to the riots was anchored in a long-term commitment to anti-racism and anti-oppression that recognises the direct links that exist between discrimination and poor health outcomes.
As Anj Handa says: “It’s a long and ongoing process and [funders] will need to consider how that fits in line with their other strategic objectives, because all of these things will need resourcing in some way”.
Whatever stage you are currently at in learning about, committing to and taking action to tackle racial injustice, it is likely that there is much more you can do. If you work for a foundation, I hope you will recognise some positive aspects of your current practice in the examples I’ve written about here, but also that you will identify areas you can develop further.
ACF is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion for the foundation sector, and we will continue to support our members as they rise to these challenges.