We’ve talked about how London Funders could work with other networks in our new structure. Over the years we’ve been out to our sister funder networks from Belfast to Bristol, from Leeds to Liverpool, and from Scotland to Southend – every time we’ve gained ideas and inspiration, and contributed our members’ experiences, helping us achieve our collective aim of a fairer future. We love being connected to other places and people and, with the devolution agenda accelerating, the opportunity for us to share our experiences and learn from others through a more open structure is really exciting. London has so much to offer, but it also has so much to learn. We’re really hopeful that the proposed structure gives us the best of both worlds – a continued focus on our city and communities through London Funders, and a space to connect and work with others to address big issues (from climate change to community cohesion) under the Funders Together umbrella.
We’ve also talked about how we can continue to strengthen our relationship with our friends at other sector bodies. In recent weeks we’ve had chats with everyone from Carol at ACF to Donal at ACO, from Nick at EFN to Tania at 360Giving, looking at how your ideas for how we work together even more effectively with our strategic partners can lead to positive change. These conversations build on years of collaborative working (including UKGrantmaking and insight reports with 360Giving, We Stand With The Sector with ACF, preserving the local authority safety net with ACO). They’ve been central to the Board’s consideration of the right structure for the future. Making sure we continue to focus on our strengths as a cross-sector funder network, driven by the ambitions of our city and our communities, whilst using our resources carefully and in collaboration to achieve positive change. The proposed governance framework is about creating the space to work differently, not to duplicate. This is not the time for competition or isolation, it’s a moment for solidarity and deepened collaboration, and we’re looking forward to making the most of these opportunities together.
We’ve talked about how we can continue to bring new ideas and fresh thinking to London, and how we can use the city as a connector to other people and places. Yet again, you’re thinking what we’re thinking. We’re proud to have brought speakers to our network meetings and conferences from all over the world, and to have represented our city and our members at global events – the only continent that we’ve not welcomed guests from, or attended ourselves on your behalf, is Antarctica. The voices we’ve heard, the insights we’ve gained, the inspiration we’ve benefited from is not confined to within the M25. These experiences have made our work, your work, and the impact we can have for our city and our communities stronger than ever. You’ll see from the news of the London Funders conference for February 2026 that we’re continuing to forge new partnerships and bring fresh learning to London – we look forward to seeing you there. You’ll also know that these experiences are shaping our work in London, and in Collaboration Circle, with inspiring examples of collaborative action soon to be shared through our Equity in Every Step project.
This is not the time for competition or isolation, it’s a moment for solidarity and deepened collaboration, and we’re looking forward to making the most of these opportunities together.
We’ve talked about your concerns about anti-London sentiment, and whether we risk diluting London’s voice with these changes. I’m not sure that this is necessarily a new thing. I’m from a village in the Fens – growing up as the only gay in that village the dream of coming to London was strong for me – but to others in the village, then and now, it was “that London”, sometimes said with a feeling of disconnection, sometimes said with something closer to distaste. But I’ve never thought that you overcome gaps in connection or understanding by constructing or strengthening barriers, but by building bridges and extending the hand of friendship. We’re hopeful that Funders Together provides a neutral space where London Funders can connect with other people and places as an equal partner, to build connection and understanding, and celebrate our shared humanity and desire for every person and place to achieve their potential. It’s also an opportunity for us to strengthen the London voice in our governance, with a dedicated London Leadership Board to provide check and challenge within the new structure for the continued work of London Funders – we’ll share more about this at the General Meeting next week, and in the months ahead, and would welcome your thoughts about how we make the London voice come alive through our governance for the future.
You’ve shared with us your hopes that we continue to be an outward facing, generous and friendly organisation – whatever the governance structures that we work within – and we love that you share this ambition with our team and our Board. We often talk about London as a global city, with nearly 100 countries having a diaspora of over 5,000 people in the city – but it’s also a national city (with the majority of Londoners born in London or other parts of the UK). We know ideas don’t respect borders or boundaries – we’re proud to have members of our team and our Board from places as diverse as Norway and Newcastle, Leeds and Lewisham, Peru and Peterborough, Bangladesh and Bromley. We think we should continue to open our doors and our minds to experiences beyond London, and strengthen our friendships with people across the UK and beyond. This isn’t about London taking over, this is about London being a friend, a partner – sharing generously, learning with humility. This will make our work as London Funders stronger, and we hope also provides the space for others to become stronger too, together.
For those of you I’ve not managed to speak to recently, a reminder that the General Meeting for members is next Tuesday (4 November 2025) at 11.30am. You can find the details of how to register to attend, and a copy of the updated Articles of Association we’ll be asking you to vote on, here. We look forward to seeing you there, and to continuing our conversations in the months and years ahead about how London Funders, and Funders Together, can continue to strengthen your work, our communities, and our collective future.