Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

We recognise that diversity comes in many forms and is not always visible or immediately evident.

As a responsible and open grant-maker, we strive to ensure that every eligible organisation has an equitable opportunity to apply to the Foundation for funds.  We work hard to ensure our funding reflects the huge range of diversity within UK’s society.

We ensure many perspectives are embedded in our organisation and our grant-making. Our dedicated staff bring diverse experiences, backgrounds and voices. We believe inclusivity is important and we review our own accessibility and take action where needed. We embed equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across our work. The following outlines our guiding principles and practical actions.

Principles

• We are accessible and straightforward. We give clear and consistent guidance to applicants and charity partners. We help them present their best case regardless of background or ability.
• We are open to all eligible applicants and actively encourage organisations who have not applied to us before to apply for funding.
• We have a transparent approach to grant-making. We publish our grants online each quarter and in our annual report. We highlight a variety of recent grant holders on our website to show the range of our support. We encourage first-time applicants to get in touch.
• We continue to learn and improve. We ensure we’re up to date on the many issues and challenges our charity partners, and their beneficiaries, face every day.
• Our team is diverse and their varied perspectives and lived experiences inform our work.
• We encourage debate and discussion. We make sure that wide-ranging experiences and factors are considered when reviewing applications.

Our actions

• Our Trustees and staff are committed to inclusion. Our approach to EDI is ongoing and features in our daily work. It’s not just a written policy that sits on a shelf.
• We work with EDI consultants to review our communications. We review our accessibility constantly. We keep up to date on new learnings and standards as they emerge.
• Our Trustees and staff are trained in key areas that relate to our work such as unconscious bias.
• Inclusivity is embedded in our policies and key documents such as our Weston Charter and Grant-making Philosophy and also in tools such as our website.
• We ask applicants for demographic information about their beneficiaries. This helps us assess how our grants are reaching marginalised communities. It also shows where we have more work to do.
• We ask applicants to identify any inequalities, exclusion or marginalisation their beneficiaries face. This helps us understand how the work our charity partners do tackles these problems. It also helps understand the complex challenges communities face across the UK and how these intersect.