1. Visions of a mid c21st civil society
Challenges for funders from the Review of Reviews
John Griffiths
@LondonFunders

2. A new narrative? – Some recurring themes . . .
Interpreting the act of Brexit
A new set of “social evils”
Five pillars of c21st civil society
Re-inventing government (again)
Strong sense of optimism “civil society needs to change”
The growing significance of place-based approaches
Reaffirming the value of organisations’ independence/voice
Recognising London’s uniqueness but also its added responsibility
London’s Giving - transforming and energising local giving
@LondonFunders

3. What we are up against (1) . . .
London’s Giving - transforming and energising local giving
@LondonFunders

4. What we are up against (2) . . .
Regional income inequality – population in the top and bottom 10%
Top 1% share of net household income,
Female life-expectancy at birth by IMD decile, 2001 and 2016
Homeownership by young people, yrs,
@LondonFunders
Sources – London’s Poverty Profile 2017; Inequalities in the c21st I.F.S., 2018
London’s Giving - transforming and energising local giving

5. Reactions from Funders
44% of funders need to change considerably
Collaboration lies at the heart of our work
Data – unexciting, but essential . . .
Get the narrative right . . .
P.A.C.T. is already being embraced . . .
Power – too much funding is not driven by those it’s intended to serve; “Let go”
Accountability – too many funders still see this as a one-way street (see IVAR/Esmee)
Connectedness – of state/sector/business, as well as across civil society organisations
Trust – relationships need time/money; absence of trust drives dishonest reporting.
@LondonFunders
London’s Giving - transforming and energising local giving

6. Challenges and opportunities for funders
People
Securing a new future for civil society with people at its heart
Exploiting London’s unique assets and responsibilities
Place
Exploiting “double devolution” – the UK Shared Prosperity Fund
Harnessing London’s wealth – realising the potential of civic philanthropy
Recognising the challenges of place-based funding in a London context – national funders investing in an economic success story – a magnet for jobs/investment; London’s funders investing in asset-rich places . . .
Partnership (and collaboration)
Addressing weaknesses and inequity in civil society’s funding eg inner/outer London; large vs small CSOs
Bringing real-time funding data together with a shared understanding of needs more fully exploiting the power of digital/technology – 360 Giving is just the start . . .
Investing in and learning from what’s working – core funding; showcasing; differences between replicating; evolving and scaling
Ensuring responsibility for promoting civil society remains cross-sectoral – the new vision is vulnerable if it is not shared; London Funders must retain membership balance, a willingness to challenge and be challenged.
London’s Giving - transforming and energising local giving
@LondonFunders

7. A vision of a mid c21st civil society
Messages for funders from the Review of Reviews
@LondonFunders