We asked Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), POP, and Every One, Every Day to share their reflections on the findings in our report, Insights on place-led funding 2.
Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO)
Investing in Local Infrastructure for Lasting Change
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s investment in Sandwell through SCVO has shown how resourcing a strong, local infrastructure body can enable transformative, community-led change.
Through the programme’s three focused elements, EPIC, BOUNCE, and INSPIRE, SCVO has demonstrated how flexible, co-designed funding can foster innovation, encourage collaboration, and build resilience. These initiatives have enabled community groups to respond to local priorities with creativity and autonomy - particularly important in a place as diverse and complex as Sandwell.
“What BOUNCE gave us was the opportunity to be entrepreneurial… to step into areas we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.”
— Community Leader, Sandwell
A Convenor and Connector in the Local System
At a time when many organisations face competitive pressures, SCVO’s support has helped reduce fragmentation, promoted fair access to resources, and encouraged a shift from dependency to empowerment.
“It’s made us review how we work… now it’s about connecting people to influence and do it themselves.”
— CEO, Sandwell Community Organisation
Legacy and Strategic Potential
The programme has illustrated how local infrastructure organisations are essential to a strong and inclusive voluntary sector. SCVO has not only enabled local delivery but also played a role in shaping the future direction of the sector, supporting groups to strengthen their impact, and advocating for strategic investment. Having the support of a national funder like Esmée has given huge kudos to the program and has, undoubtedly, positively opened other doors to increase the level of support that is offered to local groups – be that directly financial or strategically.
As a result, and looking forward, SCVO is well-placed to play an even more proactive role in strategically developing the sector - helping it adapt to changing needs, champion equity, and sustain progress beyond individual funding programs.
This place-based investment shows the enduring value of trusted, locally rooted infrastructure in creating community resilience and sustainable change – giving the funding partner the confidence of the difference being made at a grassroots level that they might otherwise be unable to reach (at such scale).
You can find out more about SCVO’s work by visiting: www.scvo.info
POP in Plymouth
POP is reassured to see how Esmée Fairbairn Foundation's latest report on three ‘place initiatives’ highlights the critical role of local infrastructure organisations (LIOs) such as POP. The report accurately reflects how we see our role and value in Plymouth’s system. We know we are not alone: organisations such as Plymouth Social Enterprise , Food Plymouth, and Plymouth Culture also act as enablers, convenors and advocates for community-led change.
Constantly learning, we have started to collect #BelonginPlymouth - stories from the grassroots to amplify the value of grassroots action. But POP has learnt that this will not be enough, crucially, we must address the systems with which we engage. We are doing this by bringing people together to support us all to think deeply about the root causes of the issues we face and to then consider, and reconsider, our future actions.
Our relationship with Esmee Fairbairn Foundation started with a question:
"What does a CVS for the 21st century look like?"
Through practical experimentation we have explored the key issues impacting on the grassroots sector: participation, collaboration, funding, influencing and impacting. We have learnt that our sector and our role has been defined by an economic system that needs to change - amongst many other learnings - including collaboration.
Our insight had shifted our attention to a new question:
"What civic infrastructure is needed for a just & regenerative transition?"
We think that the role of LIOs is sat within a deeper set of questions about "how do we create a just and regenerative future" and that these questions lead us to understand that the grassroots sector is not a sector, it is the life blood of our society, a true manifestation of ordinary people embodying a way of working, participating in civic life, that stands apart from ‘business as usual’.
Furthermore, working with Nudge Community Builders we have realised that neighbourhoods offer the only feasible level of geography in which much of this work can happen. Operating at this scale is not easy: issues manifest viscerally and in front of us and sidestepping is not an option.
For anyone tackling the big questions, whether it is climate breakdown, social cohesion or economic renewal, please come and speak to us about how we can catalyse the future at the neighbourhood level.
Every One, Every Day in Barking & Dagenham by Participatory City Foundation
We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the ‘Insights into Place-led Funding 2’ report, and to share learning from the Every One, Every Day initiative in Barking and Dagenham.
Every One, Every Day tested a new approach to practical resident participation, designed to strengthen social cohesion. The project was the first of its kind; a free-to-access network of community spaces and connected residents, where you could learn, discover and connect with others; a place where you’d be greeted by fellow neighbours and a friendly team to help you bring your ideas to life.
Inclusivity was central to the approach. The inspiring residents of Barking and Dagenham shaped every aspect of the initiative with their enthusiasm, energy, and commitment. From activities and venues to communications and relationships, residents worked hand-in-hand with the Every One, Every Day team to foster friendship and trust across their diverse communities.
Reviews of this kind are valuable, though inevitably a snapshot shaped by the lens of the commissioning funder. Some of the most important aspects — values-based and relational — are harder to capture through such frameworks. Reporting on this social research and development initiative also offers learning for social innovation more widely, especially in how new ideas can be prototyped and tested on the ground, which is always challenging, particularly at this scale.
The most enduring legacy in Barking and Dagenham is the relationships and learning formed between residents over the seven years of the initiative. It also includes a carefully managed wind-down that ensured resources remained in community hands, and the continuation of inclusive activities by others with the means to carry them forward.
It is important to distinguish this from the broader approach developed through the initiative. The shared aim of our seven funders was to develop innovative social infrastructure for inclusive local co-creation — that now stands as a long-term legacy. This approach is being adopted and adapted by other neighbourhoods in diverse contexts worldwide, providing a practical pathway to stronger, more connected communities.
The body of materials, evidence, and resources, including a comprehensive online training course, is freely available at www.weareeveryone.org and www.we-build-bridges.com.
