By 'educationally or economically disadvantaged', we mean people who identify as being from an educationally and/or economically disadvantaged background, including working class backgrounds, with long-term impact on their life outcomes; as well as people currently experiencing financial hardship.
Using the DEI Data Standard, we want to have a better understanding of who our funding is reaching and to help us identify structural inequity in our funding practice. This page shares initial analysis of data we gathered from organisations in our funding and applications we received during October 2021 to September 2022 in relation to people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged.
Alongside our commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion, we hope the data we gather will help us to make progress towards our goals - particularly in our aims for A Fairer Future and Creative, Confident Communities.
People who are educationally or economically disadvantaged in our funding and applications
Charts 1 and 2 below show the percentage and number of organisations (in brackets) in our funding and applications received that we classify as 'educationally or economically disadvantaged' for the three areas we asked organisations about: the communities the work supports, the organisation's leadership, and the organisation's mission. They also show the number of organisations whose work, leadership or mission did not specifically relate to 'people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged'. We have classified these as 'no specific group' for this category.
What we found:
- Across both sets of data (for our funding and applications), around half the organisations who said their work supports people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged are ALSO led by people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged. (See charts 1 and 2)
- In our funding sample: 14.4% said their work targets people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged, and 17% said their mission targets people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged. However, less than 3% said their organisation is led by people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged. (See chart 1)
Our funding vs applications
Chart 3 shows how our funding compares to data we have gathered on applications. Figures show the percentage that we have classified as 'educationally or economically disadvantaged' for the communities the work supports, the organisation's leadership, and the organisation's mission.
What we found:
- The data we have on applications shows a similar trend but with slightly higher percentages. For instance 23% said their work supports people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged, and less than 5% said they are led by people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged. (See charts 2 and 3)
Average amount awarded
Chart 4 shows the average amount awarded in our funding, and compares the average for our total funding portfolio with funding for work specifically supporting people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged, and funding for organisations led by people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged.
What we found:
- When looking at the average amount awarded to organisations, those whose work specifically targets people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged was 13% lower than the average amount awarded for our total funding portfolio (£182,778 compared to £210,824).
- The average amount awarded to organisations led by people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged was 27% lower (£154,179 compared to £210,824) than our total funding portfolio average.
Our funding by aim
Chart 5 shows the percentage of our funding that we classify as for work or as being led by people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged, and the aim which the funding most closely aligns to.
What we found:
- In terms of alignment to Esmée's strategy, the majority of our funding that relates to people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged is towards A Fairer Future. Of the 62 grants awarded towards work that specifically supports people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged, 43 (10% of our funding) are in A Fairer Future, with 14 (3% of our funding) in Creative, Confident Communities.
- It's worth noting that of all the DEI Data Standard categories we gathered data on, 'people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged' is the one that is most aligned to our work in Creative, Confident Communities.
See all the data tables for the charts in this report.
