We're pleased to share our second Insights from place-led funding report, which shares learning on three large scale initiatives we supported in three places: Barking & Dagenham, Plymouth, and Sandwell.
To see the report in a different format, please email communications@esmeefairbairn.org.uk.
The report follows our 2021 report, which captured learning from five years of place-led funding, and helped to influence the development of Esmée's Creative, Confident Communities strategy. Towards the end of 2024, we commissioned Place Matters to carry out further research in the three areas to help us understand the impact of the work we funded. It was also a useful opportunity to reflect on the changing context for place-led work and our evolving approach to Creative, Confident Communities. So, whilst the report focuses on learning from the three initiatives: Every One, Every Day in Barking & Dagenham, POP in Plymouth, and SCVO in Sandwell, it also incorporates our reflections from across our portfolio.
Reflections from Veda Harrison, Director of Creative, Confident Communities
We recognise that this work is complex. Balancing different perspectives and holding disappointments when they emerge is often challenging for those leading the work. However, we know from spending time with many organisations across our Creative, Confident Communities portfolio that empowering places to act on change brings much joy and hope.
Beyond the role trusts and foundations play, we are seeing how previous place-led initiatives have encouraged both local and national governments to take a more relational approach towards working with local people on local priorities. The Plan for Neighbourhoods and the Pride in Place strategy are built on the experience and efforts of many communities across the UK that have demonstrated the power of neighbourhoods over many years. We are hopeful that this investment will continue to centre the voices, energy and creativity of the people who know neighbourhoods best – the people that live there.
Towards the end of the report, Place Matters put forward a set of considerations for Esmée and others who fund place-led change. We also highlight how these initiatives and others in our portfolio have influenced our approach as we evolve our Creative, Confident Communities strategy. Key to this is care and humility. We recognise that we cannot do this alone (and we won't always get it right), and that the hard work and commitment of the organisations we fund informs and inspires everything we do.
We hope you find the report helpful as you reflect on your own place-based work – either as a funder or place initiative.
A big thank you
On behalf of Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, we would like to thank Matt Bell from POP, Stuart Ashmore from SCVO, and Tessy Britton, Michael Coughlin and Katherine Michonski from Participatory City Foundation (Every One, Every Day) for the generous contributions of time, critical feedback and additional insights that have helped shaped this report. We would also like to thank all those who have been involved in these three place initiatives, for their commitment to leading place-led change in their communities.
And last but not least, we’re really grateful for the care and attention that Jo Blundell and Lela Kogbara in undertaking this work.
Our funding data and map of our support
We spend around £15m each year in grants towards our three funding priorities in Creative, Confident Communities.
By sharing the map, we hope it's easier to see where our funding for Creative, Confident Communities is reaching across the UK. You can also find links to our grant listings for each of of our funding priorities in this area.
