The March launch of The Phoenix Way’s first emergency round of grant funding for Black and racially minoritised organisations in England, was met with enthusiasm.
Over 300 applications have been started, but more are needed from the north of England as Founder and CEO of the Ubele Initiative and national convening partner of the Phoenix Way, Yvonne Field, explained:
"The Phoenix Way are delighted by the response to our launch of the first emergency round of grant funding. However, as is so often the case, half of the applications have come from organisations based in London and the South East. We want to emphasise that these grants are open to organisations throughout England who are supporting children and young people at risk of becoming involved in violence. We are particularly keen to receive applications from organisations based in the South-west and Cumbria and the North East, that are currently underrepresented.”
To reflect this, The Phoenix Way have regional leads in each area to help support applicants. Sado Jirde, CEO for the Black Southwest Network. She said:
"BSWN is delighted to be a partner in this transformative funding approach where the resources are deployed directly to grassroots organisations to scale up and grow. This is a game-changer opportunity that we sincerely hope will encourage racial justice organisations in the South West region to seize now. This first round of funding, which focuses on young people, comes with a lot of freedom with what you can do and achieve. We are looking forward to welcoming new Black and racially minoritised organisations to the funding stream and supporting the growth of the South West Racial Justice sector."
The Phoenix Way will distribute £1 million in this round, and applicants can apply for grants of £20,000. Applications will be accepted until midnight on the 8th of May. You can find out more about the fund, eligibility criteria and information about how to apply here. https://www.ubele.org/our-work/the-phoenix-way
The Phoenix Way’s future funding rounds will open later this year.
