Earlier this summer, London Funders surveyed our members to explore funding for disabled people’s organisations within London. Our 2021 member audit showed that 51% of our members fund organisations that support disabled people, so we know that this is a priority for many funders in the capital. Many are also thinking about disability in relation to their own staff teams as well as the broader accessibility of their application processes. We wanted to establish a baseline for where our members are on this journey, and to understand what support is needed to help members progress.
We worked with Inclusion London and HEAR Network to develop the survey, and they have advised on the definitions we have used throughout this process (for more about this, please see the slide pack here). We are also grateful to our members Youth Music, Vision Foundation and Trust for London for their guidance and time in creating this survey.
What did we find?
One of questions we asked was about ‘accessibility’, by which we mean that Disabled people from across impairment groups and with different access needs have equal access, use and benefits from the service or resource as non-Disabled people.
Although not every funder could reply ‘yes’ to being fully accessible, it is clear that those who chose to respond to this survey are committed to making changes, listening to Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs) and learning from other funders. Many are in the process of making these changes; 89% of respondents placed improving the relevance and responsiveness of their grants as a top or high priority. Over 90% offer adjustments during the application process, ranging from 1:1 support to extra flexibility and alternative ways of submitting applications. 77% have priorities around Disabled people in their grant programme (main and/or specific).
While some respondents shared examples of measures they’re taking to improve accessibility, others were in the process of identifying and making these changes. Over 70% don’t yet meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to the AA standard or higher (although 50% are actively working towards this) “[We’re] reviewing application and reporting processes to provide more flexibility and accessibility, and working with Grant Management system developers to build in better accessibility to the system”.
Our survey also explored if funders use the medical model or social model of disability. 45% use the social model, and 36% use both. However only 22% of respondents explain the model of disability they use in their EDI policy and 44% don’t offer any Disability Equality training to their staff or trustees. Again, some respondents were in the process of reviewing training, however there are opportunities for funders to do more to ensure all staff and trustees are trained appropriately.
Tracey Lazard from Inclusion London who worked with us on the survey said the results were encouraging but “we can’t be complacent”. “We still have a long way to go to ensure funders systems and practices are fully accessible and that the mantra of the Disabled Peoples rights movement ‘Nothing About Us Without Us’ becomes a reality”.
To help this happen, funders were keen to talk to specialist infrastructure groups to learn from best practice, and create a space where we can learn together as a sector. 33% of survey respondents are already collaborating with other funders to increase support to Disabled People’s Organisations and 55% would be interested to. Inclusion London said long term collaboration with Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations is crucial. “We need to see funders building deep long-term relationships with Deaf and Disabled peoples organisations, co-producing funding programmes with us and investing long term in our sector so Deaf and Disabled people and our organisations can collectively be the change we urgently need to see”.
The need for cross sector collaboration was echoed by Christine Goodall, the Network Coordinator of the HEAR Equality and Human Rights Network. “We are pleased that funders who responded showed enthusiasm for working more closely with equalities focused infrastructure organisations and disabled people's organisations to improve accessibility and inclusion”.
One example of funders doing this is the new Disability Justice Fund, an initiative from Trust for London and the City Bridge Trust. Designed in collaboration with Deaf and Disabled activists, the fund aims to support a strong, vibrant, diverse and sustainable Disability justice movement in the capital. The fund will focus on funding organisations led by experts by experience and will therefore only consider applications from Deaf and Disabled people’s organisations.
Trust for London say the initiative has provided the Trust with some key learnings around accessibility. “We took every step to make sure the materials associated with the fund were accessible, providing easy read, large print and audio formats of our funding guidelines. We also provided applicants with the opportunity to submit video applications – these experiences, and how well they are received by applicants, will help to shape our funding materials moving forward.”
“We hope the principles of co-creation and transfer of power that have guided this fund will prove to be just as valuable [as the funding itself], encouraging our peers in the funding sector to think about the design and delivery of their own programmes for DDPOs”, says James Lee, Project Manager at City Bridge Trust.
Trust for London echo this. Joanna Wootten, Grant Manager for the fund, says that they hope it will help to make tangible the words ‘nothing about us without us’. “We have designed it in collaboration with experts by experience, with the ambition of empowering a vibrant and intersectional disability justice movement.”
At London Funders we will continue to share more learning from funders who are doing work in this area. Please take a look at this case study from our member Youth Music, who share what they’re doing so far. If you’d like to share your learning, whatever stage you’re at, or see the full findings, please get in touch via info@londonfunders.org.uk