Power, equality and inclusion in philanthropy

A few months ago, I got a new job in the funding field as CEO of Barrow Cadbury Trust (a UK-based charitable foundation that works in collaboration with others to bring about structural change for a more just and equal society). After over 20 years working in an equality-focused NGO, this crossover into funding and philanthropy has been amazing and fascinating.

In my previous role, a lot of time was spent trying to find the right funders, seeking introductions, hoping someone would believe in our mission. Now, at a philanthropic organisation, the dynamic has flipped. People reach out to us. And with that shift, new questions have landed squarely on my desk.

One question is: how do we remain open, accessible and equitable, in such a fast-changing world?

The view from the funding side

Earlier this year, I attended the annual Philea conference in Lisbon. I could see from the presentations and conversations that, like us, many in the funding sector are deeply invested in fundamental questions about equality, accountability and power. There was a consensus that funders can’t just hand out money and hope for the best. We need real partnerships – especially with those experiencing and tackling inequality every day.

But how do we build those partnerships in a way that feels fair? How do we collaborate while being honest about the power imbalance between funders and funded partners?

One thing I’m realising is that the way we develop and explore questions about who holds the power with communities is just as important as finding the answer. There’s a quote I keep coming back to, from systems thinker Myron Rogers:

“The process you use to get to the future is the future you get.”

It’s a reminder that if we don’t pay attention to how we engage, we might end up recreating the very inequalities we say we want to dismantle.

Inclusion means more than a seat at the table

There’s growing awareness in the funding sector of including people with lived experience of inequality in decision-making. That’s good. But inclusion isn’t just about inviting those people to the table – it’s about prioritising equity throughout the process: recruitment, development and support, inviting and responding to feedback from them and more.

If we’re serious about equity, we must be willing to use the power we have effectively, not just “share” it.

That means asking ourselves tough questions about how we work, who we listen to and what systems we’re upholding (e.g. patriarchy, ageism, racism, class) – even unintentionally.

We have more power than we think

Funders using their fullest range of assets and powers strategically to advance equality isn’t always easy. This is partly because we don’t talk enough about power. Although the financial power of philanthropic organisations is acknowledged, and how money is used is a critically important topic, more subtle forms of philanthropic power are not discussed as much as they could be.

As funders, we can do more than write cheques. We’re often closer to people in power – whether that’s government, business, or media – and we can use that proximity and influence to amplify traditionally marginalised voices.

We can influence and reinforce the tone in civil society: the type of activity that receives grant funding; the way grant applications are judged; the organisations that are celebrated and gain access to networks.

We can push back when civil society is under threat. We can ask questions about where our money is invested. And our independence allows us to take a stand – not just privately in boardrooms, but publicly.

Right now, in the UK for instance (and in many other parts of the world), migrant rights organisations are being targeted by online abuse and anti-migrant protests. Of course they need funding, but they also need visible allies. Many funders are showing their support for these organisations. But there could be many more in the UK and beyond doing this – and not just those who work with migrant organisations directly.

Accountability has to be self-made

One thing I’ve noticed since joining the funding world is that we’re not directly accountable to many people. That can be liberating and affords those working in the field a high degree of independence, but it can also be risky because there are fewer ways we are required to hold our feet to the fire. And even when we do, being in a position of power makes it a struggle to get good quality, honest and useful feedback.

If we’re serious about equity, we need to build our own forms of accountability – to funded partners, to communities, to the movements for change that we support. And that means staying open to feedback, being transparent about our decisions, and being willing to learn from those who’ve traditionally had little say in our decisions – even when it’s uncomfortable.

Looking ahead

We’re heading into a decade filled with intimately-related challenges – social, economic, political, environmental. Solutions won’t come from working in silos. We’ll need government, civil society and business all pulling in the same direction. In civil society (NGOs, philanthropy, community groups, trade unions etc.) we will need to be quick to adapt and to work nimbly together. How we develop those connections and collaborations and draw on our collective expertise will be central to our success.

For funders, the task is bigger than “giving power away”. It’s recognising the power communities already hold – and creating the conditions for that community power to be seen, valued, supported and sustained. It’s about honing our awareness of the different sources of power that we hold ourselves as funders too – and using our own forms of power wisely, in service of our shared missions. It’s still early days for me in this role. But I’m hopeful – not because I think philanthropy has all the answers, but because I’m seeing people in the sector willing to ask better questions.