In September 2005, 18 months ago, Impetus Trust and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) embarked on a four-year co-investment in Naz Project London (NPL), an organization that provides sexual health and HIV prevention and support services to Black and minority ethnic communities. The investment package was to consist of a total of £275,000 core funding over the four years, plus some targeted capacity-building from both Impetus and CAF. An Alliance Online article published in March 2006 looked at the background to the co-investment and the experience of the first few months. How has NPL fared since then? While making progress on its programme aims, unanticipated shortfalls in funding have caused NPL some problems. On the consultancy side, a clear lesson has emerged: fewer consultants are needed, but they need to be better targeted to NPL’s needs and more engaged with the organization.

This article is based on attending one of the monthly meetings (on 9 November 2006) with NPL Chief Executive Bryan Teixeira; Nat Sloane, co-founder and vice chair of Impetus; and Victoria Anderson, CAF Head of Grantmaking, and separate telephone conversations with all three in early February 2007.