Anyone who knows me knows that I’m passionate about building a more inclusive, equitable world through fighting inequality and changing systems. I dream of a fairer, more just world, where everyone has a voice and no one is left behind.
However, systems change doesn’t happen if we all go about it on our own. We need to work together, within and across sectors. No one can change the world alone.
One way that funders can create the conditions for systemic change is through collaboration. I’ve spent the majority of my career working internationally, where funder collaboration is more the norm. It has been exciting seeing the increased momentum for collaboration between funders here in the UK over the last couple of years.
But not all collaboration is good. Great collaboration will enable charities to dream, respond to the needs of their communities – and not create undue burden on them.
Having spent the majority of my career on the other side of the table, applying for funds, here are some of my thoughts on what good funder collaboration looks like.
Involving charities in the design and decisions of collaborative funding
Do this and you’ll have a better chance of your collaboration responding to needs charities have identified. Involve them in design, and also give them a seat at the table when funding decisions are made.
Increasing your risk appetite
Is your collaboration an opportunity to test new (and simpler!) forms of due diligence, invest in innovative ideas, or other things that you might not be willing to do alone?
Creating larger pots of funding and reduced transaction costs
This one feels like a no-brainer. Charities don’t want to have to apply to five different funders to cobble together enough to scale a brilliant idea. Instead, accessing one larger pot of funds through one application process reduces transaction costs and enables taking an idea to scale.
Offering access to the networks and resources of multiple funders
Some of the best collaborations I’ve worked with see funders not just as sources of funds, but also as a platform to influence wider change, a network to reach other funders, and more. In a collaborative fund, this access is amplified – if funders pool their resources and not rely on one member alone.
Streamlined monitoring, learning and reporting processes
If there are five funders in a collaboration, please don’t ask for five sets of reports, all with different timelines. Create space for charities to lead on monitoring and learning about what’s valuable to them, and reduce transaction costs by drawing on this work, rather than asking for more.
If you have experienced funder collaboration from the point of view of a grant-seeking charity, we’d love to hear from you.
Charities, tell us what you think
I’m just one voice with one perspective.
As grant-makers continue to invest in collaboration, it’s essential that their collaborative activities benefit the charities who use their funding, so that ultimately communities benefit. And the best way to do this is to hear from these charities directly.
If you have experienced funder collaboration from the point of view of a grant-seeking charity, the Funders Collaborative Hub would love to hear from you.
What would you like to see funders do more of, or less of, when they collaborate? We want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly!
We’ll summarise your responses in a future blog, so that your views can be used to inform the practices of a wide range of funders. If you’re willing to be quoted directly, that’s great, or we can share your experiences anonymously if you prefer.
Just send us an email to tell us your thoughts.
Get in touch
Charities, tell us about your experiences of funder collaboration, good or bad.
