Just over a month ago, we wrapped up our annual Festival of Learning, a two-week programme of learning where funders, civil society and changemakers shared a phenomenal depth and breadth of insights. One of the big highlights this year was the appetite from funders to support and drive real change for London’s communities. There is a sense that ‘tinkering’ around the edges is no longer a sufficient response to the deeply entrenched problems funders hope to play a role in tackling.
A little over a year ago, we launched our new strategy for 2022-2030, focusing on our purpose of bringing funders together to build a better London by taking action on what matters to our city and our communities. As 2023 draws to an end, the London Funders team reflect on some of the highlights from the first year of putting our strategic ambitions into practice.
As part of our current learning question on risk, Geraldine Blake shares some of her hopes for how our long-term funding collaboration – Propel – will challenge us to think about risk differently.
If you’re a regular reader of London Funders’ blogs, you’ll know that we’ve been talking with members about shared due diligence for some time now. We’ve held three roundtables, undertaken two member surveys, and most recently a dinner for senior leaders. Now we’re updating you on new insights, setting out plans for potential pilots, and inviting you to join us in a co-design session in November.
On Thursday 29th June 2023, organisations funded by Propel came together along with funders and equity partners to share and discuss their collective ambitions for the programme, alongside more informal networking.
In July, we welcomed our intern Oyinda Adeniyi through our participation in the 10,000 Black Interns programme. As Oyinda’s internship is coming to an end, she reflects on what she’s learnt about creating change in the funding system, collaboration, and supporting grassroots organisations.
From 10 – 24 May 2023, London Funders' member organisations came together share learning, insights, and experiences, to build hope and community, and explore our shared vision of a fairer, greener and safer London.
The covid pandemic sparked an extraordinary year of collaborative action by London’s funders in response to the needs of communities. It became clear through the London Community Response that collaboration at pace and scale is entirely possible.
Katie Turner, from The Institute for Voluntary Action Research (IVAR), shares what we’re learning about the design and implementation of the Propel programme.
