Do it Now Now, a UK-based racial justice organisation, led a powerful session that challenged funders to move beyond performative allyship to meaningful partnership. The workshop drew its insights from the "Beyond the Cliff Edge" report, which shines a light on the systemic barriers Black-led organisations face and offers a blueprint for creating real, lasting change.
The core message is a call to action, urging funders to shift from transactional grantmaking to transformational investment. This requires a fundamental re-evaluation of how funding is structured and how power is shared within the philanthropic sector.
Unrestricted, multi-year funding is essential
The workshop highlighted that for Black-led organisations, flexible, multi-year funding is not just a "nice-to-have", it's an absolute necessity for survival. Current short-term, project-based funding models force organisations to operate in a constant state of precarity, preventing them from investing in core operations, retaining staff, or building long-term strategies. A report entitled “A Desert Without Resources”, highlights the results from a survey that found that 59% of Black-led organisations could not operate for more than six months based on their current financial standing. This number rose to 70% in a 2024 report (Resilience in Motion), underscoring the urgency of the issue.
Moving from "survival mode" to "scale and impact" requires a new approach.
Multi-year, unrestricted grants provide the financial stability needed for strategic planning and building resilience, enabling organisations to focus on their mission rather than constantly chasing the next grant. This type of funding addresses the systemic inequities that keep many Black-led organisations vulnerable to funding gaps.
Intentional power-sharing is a must
True transformation requires more than just money; it demands a shift in power dynamics. The workshop emphasised that power-sharing must be intentional and built directly into funding structures. In this context, power-sharing means Black-led organisations and communities have a direct influence on how resources are distributed and how policies are shaped.
Systemic biases are deeply embedded in existing funding structures, often leading to the exclusion of Black-led organisations from decision-making spaces.
To counter this, funders must adopt key approaches like participatory grant-making, where communities have a direct say in funding decisions. It also means co-designing funding models with Black communities to ensure they are culturally relevant and truly meet their needs. Other crucial steps include direct investment in Black-led organisations instead of relying on intermediaries, and increasing the representation of Black decision-makers on grant panels.
The ripple effect of investing in leadership and community wealth
The final key takeaway was that investing in leadership and community wealth creates profound ripple effects that extend far beyond a single organisation. Investing in leadership goes beyond generic training to provide tailored development, mentorship, and opportunities for Black leaders to influence decision-making spaces. This also includes creating peer learning spaces and ensuring deep engagement with local councils.
Community wealth-building is about fostering financial independence for Black-led organisations and reducing their reliance on precarious grants. This can be achieved by diversifying revenue sources to include social enterprise models and long-term financial planning.
When Black leaders are empowered and financially autonomous, the benefits are widespread: they drive lasting systemic change, increase community resilience, and create replicable models for others to follow.
The workshop provided a clear and compelling case for why funders need to listen, learn, and partner with Black-led organisations. As the "Beyond the Cliff Edge" report argues, we need more than promises; we need action. The time to build resilience, share power, and make a real commitment to equity is now.