The Phoenix Way to distribute £1 million of funding for Black and racially minoritised organisations
The Phoenix Way has launched its first Emergency round of grant funding for Black and racially minoritised organisations in England, who are working with and supporting children and young people and impacted by the current cost-of-living crisis.
The Phoenix Fund was launched in 2020 in order to put racial justice at the heart of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund was devised and led by Black and racially minoritised community group leaders from across England and established with the support of The National Lottery Community Fund and Global Fund for Children.
£2.4 million was distributed (£0.4 million in infrastructure support and £2 million in grants to 184 community groups) across all regions of England. However, around 1,400 applications were received, which demonstrated the high level of demand for this targeted funding opportunity.
In response to this unmet demand, The Phoenix Way Partnership was formed in 2021 by the community members who led the development of the Phoenix Fund as a way of building on this work and creating a process which would support systems change.
CEO and Founder of the Ubele Initiative and convening partner of the Phoenix Way Yvonne Field, said:
“ I am pleased that we are using a participatory approach as we are often excluded from grant making and are unable to influence the design and/or decision-making processes.
"We need to begin to shift these deep-rooted power dynamics and by distilling the learning, we will begin to create systems change longer term.”
The Phoenix Way will distribute £1 million in this round. Applicants can apply for grants of £20,000. You can find out more about the fund, eligibility criteria and information about how to apply here.
The funders supporting this round include the Youth Endowment Fund and the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales. The Phoenix Way’s future funding rounds will open in summer 2023.
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