Collaboration Circle is pleased to announce the launch of the Advancing Equity Learning Library, a new online resource designed to help funders and civil society organisations develop more equitable approaches to grant making.
The library was developed through the Advancing Equitable Grant Making project, funded by The National Lottery Community Fund. Recognising how decisions made at each stage of the funding process can unintentionally exclude those with the knowledge, relationships and lived experience needed to address key challenges faced by communities, the project set out to identify practical ways funders can make their processes fairer, more inclusive, and more accessible.
Alongside a comprehensive review of academic and practice-based evidence, the project engaged funders, applicants, grantees and community organisations through a series of workshops designed to centre lived experience and practitioner expertise. Through this extensive programme of research and collaboration, the resulting Advancing Equity Learning Library is a practical, digital learning resource organised around nine key stages of the grant making journey:
- Outreach and engagement
- Co-designing programmes
- Grant types
- Application processes
- Due diligence and assessment
- Decision-making
- Non-financial support
- Relational grant management
- Evaluation and learning
Across each stage, users will find recommendations for equitable practice, research summaries, practical tools and frameworks, case studies, interviews and real-world examples from funders and civil society organisations. Resources have been curated with accessibility and practical application in mind, enabling organisations to quickly identify and use material relevant to their work.
The Advancing Equity Learning Library is intended to be a living resource. New materials, tools, case studies and insights will continue to be added over time, drawing on learning from Collaboration Circle partnerships and contributions from practitioners across the sector.
Explore the Advancing Equity Learning Library and discover resources to support equitable grant making at every stage of the funding journey.