Introducing the Camden Giving Equality Fund
Three years of working in the heart of Camden’s communities, have led us to the Camden Giving Equality Fund. A flagship piece of work that brings our manifesto to life in 3 ways:
We believe that people surviving inequality are best placed to find the solutions. As such the decisions on this fund will be made by a group of Camden residents with experience of inequality. This is being written in advance of having met those people, so lots of things about the future of this work are unknown and we are embracing that uncertainty because it will lead to better results. In October will begin recruiting for people who know what’s it’s like to struggle everyday in an unequal society, we’ll pay them and support them to identify the charities who should receive this funding.
We prioritise having accessible funding over counting the number of projects we fund. In fact, we expect this fund won’t fund any projects at all, but instead it will equip charities with the funding they need for THEIR priorities, that might include paying for training, campaigning for change, building up reserves for the rainy days ahead or paying the rent. We want charities to use the funding we give them deliver their mission, not stop-start projects. This work has been heavily influenced by the Trust Based Philanthropy Project in the USA.
People’s experience of life in Camden is not equal so people need individualised support. Who you are has a significant impact on your experience of Camden, this has always been true, but Covid has multiplied these inequalities. This fund will address inequalities faced by young people and families, women, people of colour, disabled people and care leavers. In Camden these are the people being disproportionately impacted by poverty, isolation, hate and covid. The fund will prioritise funding charities who can provide specialist support to people experiencing this disproportionality.
Throughout and beyond the Covid pandemic, charities need to be properly resourced to do what they do best; provide space, care and love to those who need it and raise their voices for a more equal Camden. We are not badging this an “emergency fund”, but we are giving charities the flexible support they need to respond to emergencies and we believe this work is urgent.
If you’d like to be kept updated about panel recruitment or how your charity can benefit from from a Camden Giving Equality grant, get in touch here.
This work has been funded generously by Take 2, we’re thrilled to have a supporter who values trust as much as we do. We know there’s much more to do, so if you’d like to support this urgent work please get in touch.