Our A Fairer Future funding will be closed to new applications until the autumn of 2022. We remain open to applications in Our Natural World and Creative, Confident Communities.
In January 2022 we temporarily closed to new applications under our A Fairer Future aim, while we revised our strategy. We had planned to reopen in May, but we need to do more work to ensure that our strategy is clear and coherent, and enables us to respond to the critical issues facing our society.
We will share our updated strategy for A Fairer Future in autumn 2022, when we will reopen to applications.
A more focused strategy for A Fairer Future
Although we haven’t yet finalised our strategy, we do know that it will cover fewer areas of work. We have difficult choices to make, and we are grateful for all the insights and advice we’ve had from people and organisations we support.
By focusing on fewer funding priorities, we think Esmée will be able to make a more effective, engaged and longer term contribution. We’ll also be able to identify areas where we can collaborate with others to unlock change.
However, this means that we will no longer be funding some organisations that we may have worked with for many years and that, overall, we will be funding fewer organisations. We will speak to organisations about this as early as we can, in order to give more clarity.
We remain open under Our Natural World, and Creative, Confident Communities, and you can read a series of blogs which share our progress so far on protecting Our Natural World.
What does this mean for you: FAQs
- General
Does the delayed reopening mean that you will not make any grants in A Fairer Future during the closure?
No, we continue to make grants. We have a number of applications already in our pipeline that we will continue to assess and make decisions on during the closure.
Below are additional FAQs based on whether you already have an application with us or have an existing grant with us.
- I have not yet submitted an application
I was waiting to apply until the revised strategy was launched in May; what should I do?
We’re sorry, but you’ll need to wait to apply until autumn 2022, when we share our revised A Fairer Future strategy and reopen to applications. In case helpful, see our page with links to other sources of funding help.
My work fits both your current A Fairer Future impact goals and funding priorities as well as those under Creative, Confident Communities or Our Natural World. Can I still apply under Creative, Confident Communities or Our Natural World?
We are open for applications under Our Natural World and Creative, Confident Communities. However, competition for funding continues to be strong across all our work. To have the best chance of your application progressing, it will need to be a strong match for our impact goals under Our Natural World or Creative, Confident Communities. Our Guidance for Support outlines what we’re looking for under each strategic aim. If your work is a much better fit for our current A Fairer Future impact goals and priorities, we recommend you delay applying until we launch our new strategy in autumn 2022.
- I have already submitted an application
I have submitted a full proposal under A Fairer Future, but not yet had a decision.
I have already been invited to submit a full proposal by a Funding Manager under A Fairer Future.
If you have been invited to submit, or have already submitted, a full proposal, we are following the assessment process as outlined in the email you were sent, alongside our Guidance for Support. Despite being closed to new applications, we should stress that demand for our funding is very strong and we have hard choices to make.
- I am currently funded by Esmée under A Fairer Future
I am currently funded by Esmée under A Fairer Future, and planning to apply for further funding in 2022 or 2023.
If you have a current grant from Esmée under A Fairer Future that comes to an end in 2022 or 2023, and have not already applied for further funding, we will need to delay most requests until we are clearer about our new impact goals and priorities in A Fairer Future. This may be sooner than the planned launch in autumn 2022.
Does the extended closure affect my existing funding with Esmée?
No, existing funding (whether it’s a grant or social investment) is unaffected by the closure.
If you have a question that isn't answered above, please get in touch. We will keep updating this page with additional questions where appropriate.
