When the Propel partners first began working together, we set out on a mission to do grant making differently. We knew this would mean unravelling and unlearning what we know about funding, in order to find more collaborative and equitable ways to work.

Since beginning this journey, we’ve invested over £36 million into London’s communities, 79 percent of which has gone to equity-led organisations. This provided them with the flexibility and breathing space to explore and address the systemic issues they face. Twelve months on, and it seemed a good opportunity for me to share what funding change has taught us so far about how we need to change funding.

Whilst Propel partners were aligned with the long term aims of the fund from the beginning, this is an entirely new way of working. To keep us accountable, and avoid slipping into old and comfortable patterns, we’ve taken a principle-led funding approach. A memorandum of understanding takes care of the legalities but agreeing to adhere to a set of principles (which include being bold, equitable, and sharing power), keeps us on track, and ensures we push ourselves further by asking if the work we’re doing is truly enabling us to create change.

Propel is a cross-sector collaboration – involving statutory, independent and corporate funders. This means that whilst we all have different internal challenges, structures and attitudes to risk, we’ve learned from what we each do well and tried to implement this across the board. Applying for funding costs civil society a staggering £900m per year, so through Propel we developed a single-entry application process and a shared approach to reporting to help reduce this burden.

Funders have had to reflect on their processes, and in some cases, significantly change what they usually ask of the organisations they fund. We’re also in the process of developing a shared due diligence platform, which again aims to shift the administrative burden away from applicants. Reflecting on Propel so far, funders have reported a much more relational approach to grant management: ‘We are trying to be more conscious of potential power imbalances, be more flexible and understanding in our approach to their journeys’.

As a long-term funding programme focused on systemic change, it’s impossible to map out what the next nine years could and should look like; instead, we need to be responsive and reflective, learning as we go. From the outset, Propel has worked with equity partners[1] to shape the fund, and make it more accountable to communities. Funded organisations are also essential in this process, and they’re currently working alongside funders to establish transition options for their grants.

Some grantees will soon be coming to the end of their year-long grants, which they’ve used to research and map out how they want to address the systemic issues in their communities. Following multiple consultation sessions, we’ve designed a process where organisations codesign a further programme of work alongside their funder.

There’s no lengthy application form or guidance to translate, instead, grantees will have a conversation (or series of conversations) with their grant manager to establish a project plan, budget and bespoke timeline. Rather than working at a funder’s pace, grantees can create their own timelines, develop realistic budgets, and have the time to build meaningful relationships.

We recently had a session with grantees to reflect on some of the learning so far. Hearing their feedback really brought it home to me how different this approach can feel: ‘Working this closely with the funder is new and refreshing; when both funder and ‘the funded’ are coming together with knowledge of the issues, it means both can learn and influence each other equitably.’

We know that inviting equity-led organisations to deliver systemic change on structural issues is a big ask. That’s why we intend the funding partnerships to be long term, and why the grantees will be able to draw on so much more than funding, from their funders, other partners and their peers.

Grantees have repeatedly referenced the trauma associated with funding. We understand the impact of funder behaviour, practices and processes, and whilst we don’t have all the answers, we’re willing to learn, and unlearn, until we get there.

Louise Henry is the Collaborations Manager at London Funders

[1]  Equity partners, all from equity-led infrastructure organisations, are funded through London Funders to participate in the Propel partnership. They are involved in shaping Propel at all levels