Duty to Care? How to ensure grant-making helps and doesn’t hinder London Funders 7 March 2019

Speakers James Banks Eliza Buckley Monsur Khan Gina Crane Renae Mann Director, London Funders Eliza Buckley Head of Research and Development, Institute for Voluntary Action Research Monsur Khan Community Engagement Projects Manager, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chlesea Gina Crane Head of Communications and Learning, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Renae Mann National Business Development Manager, Refugee Action

About IVAR 01 04 Our work starts with a practical problem, challenge or opportunity. We pose questions, encourage reflection and debate. 02 05 We collaborate closely with the organisations we work with. We only take on a project if we believe it will contribute to meaningful change. 03 06 We make the most of the academic literature and expertise that is already available. Relevant, useful and available for all.

What can we do to make it easier for people and charities to do their job well?”

Life for voluntary organisations in 2018 Instability Higher expectations of transparency and professionalism Commissioning and procurement processes Adaptation Maintaining services vs growth Determination of their people

In a time of austerity and shrinking sources of funding, just how Richard Branson-like do people think we can be?”

Voluntary organisations experience of trusts and foundations Generally positive Often encouraged or required to work in partnership/collaboration Increasingly providing opportunities for learning/networking Slow application timeframes Reporting pressures often disproportionate to the size of grants “What would really help is a three year significant grant so that I can develop the model rather than spend my time writing funding applications and end of period reports.”

Foundations are adapting to this new context Shifts to application processes Enabling more honest relationships and communication Being more realistic about expected outcomes Understanding and taking on more risk Introducing core funding Advocating and giving a voice

Every day in a community is an emergency Every day in a community is an emergency. Funders don’t have to have a tragedy to give in that way.”

Reflections from Monsur Khan Community Engagement Projects Manager, Royal Borough for Kensington and Chelsea

New principles for aligning grant reporting Funders explain why they have awarded a grant. Funders and funded organisations are clear about what grant reporting will look like. Funders are clear about the type of relationship they would like to have with the organisations they fund. Funders only ask for information they need and use, and question whether they need bespoke reporting. Funders give feedback on any grant reporting they receive, and share their thoughts on the progress of the work. Funders describe what they do with the information they obtain from funded organisations.

Reflections from Renae Mann National Business Development Manager, Refugee Action

Our call to action Our call to action

Are you taking enough risk? Tomorrow: Make a grant to an organisation that is doing great work but that you might have said ‘no’ to because they are facing an uncertain future. Your grant might give them the breathing space they need. Soon: Have a board discussion about the sorts of risks faced by the types of organisations you support, and consider how as a funder you can help. Collaboration with IVAR: Become part of IVAR’s new Thinking about Risk project.

Could your processes be more useful and less burdensome for the organisations you fund? Tomorrow: Think of one thing you can do, or stop doing, that will make your process easier – and do it. Soon: Go systematically through your application, grant management and reporting processes and question the purpose and value of everything you ask organisations to do. Take out everything that is not essential. Collaboration with IVAR: Sign up to the New principles for aligned reporting.

Can you have “better conversations” with your grantees? Tomorrow: If you have complicated questions you need to ask a grantee or applicant, which you would usually sort out by email, send them this way but arrange a call to talk it through. Soon: Think about the kind of relationship you are trying to build, explain it to grantees and make it easy – and safe – for them to tell you how you can do better. Collaboration with IVAR: Adopt suggestions for moving grant reporting from paper to conversations.

Choose one area to explore: RISK: Are you taking enough risk? How could you take more risk? PROCESSES: How can your processes be more useful and less burdensome for the organisations you fund? What changes could you make? RELATIONSHIPS: How could you have ‘better conversations ‘ with your grantees? Think about what you could do differently… Tomorrow In the next week or month In collaboration with IVAR (or others) going forward

Our call to action Our call to action