It’s been an interesting process to work with a funder who finally recognises that capacity building along with the grant is essential.
Advice Skills Information Knowledge UK
In 2021, London Community Foundation (LCF), supported by JPMorgan Chase committed £2 million over three years to invest in organisations providing specialist Employment, Enterprise and Financial Health (EEFH) support with leaders from Black and Minoritised backgrounds.
Building equity, inclusion and resilience
The Pathways to Economic Opportunities programme, by the London Community Foundation and JP Morgan Chase, supports Black and Minoritised ethnic-led ‘by and for’ organisations providing employment, enterprise and financial health (EEFH) services in London.
It aims to contribute to building equity, inclusion and resilience within the charitable sector and to improve economic outcomes for Black and Minoritised communities facing racial and economic inequities.
ARE is delighted to be a Pathways to Economic Opportunities (P2E) programme delivery partner.
About the programme
The Pathways to Economic Opportunities programme will run for three years.
It is currently in Phase III, and the second year of the programme.
Who is it for?
The programme supports Black and Minoritised ethnic-led ‘by and for’ organisations providing employment, enterprise and financial health (EEFH) services in London.
It hopes to demonstrate the importance of community and infrastructure organisations in addressing inequalities, creating new opportunities post COVID-19 and helping to remove barriers to economic opportunity in London.
Ultimately, the programme will provide a platform for sharing expertise, insights and learning.
What will the programme feature?
- 1:1 organisational development consultancy to 19 Black and minoritised ethnic-led organisations working in the Employment, Enterprise and Financial Health space.
- ARE Consultants will cover: business plans, funding applications, governance, HR, updating policies, project management and delivery, leadership and coaching/mentoring.
- Peer learning and action learning sessions
- Themed workshops. For year 1 these will be on:
- Leadership training
- Resilience building and addressing burnout
- Improving Evaluation
- Successful bid-writing
- Strengthening communications
- Budgeting and Financing
How is ARE involved?
ARE has been commissioned by London Community Fund (LCF) as the programme partner to strategically design, deliver and manage the programme, which includes:
- providing specialist support to lead on the co-design of the prospectus during Phase I
- providing organisational development support to the 19 organisations
- and supporting monitoring, evaluation and learning.
ARE also work closely with delivery partners, the Ubele Initiative, who have been commissioned by LCF to lead on monitoring, evaluation and learning of the programme.
Outcomes
Phase I
Through Phase I of the programme, which ended in December 2021, six organisations were awarded £11,500 of stabilisation and engagement grant funding to support the delivery of employment, enterprise and financial health services/projects.
- Account3
- Bangladesh Youth Movement
- Communities Welfare Network
- Golden Opportunities Skills and Development
- Skills and Training Network
- Youth League UK
As part of this award, each of these organisations committed to working with ARE on Phase II.
Phase II
Phase II was officially launched on 28th June at JP Morgan & Co’s offices where the London Community Foundation, with partners, announced the 19 registered charities, voluntary or community groups to receive grants of up to £100,000, alongside organisational development support over two years.
Phase III
Phase III focusses on disseminating funding and capacity building support to a portfolio of Black and minoritised community-led organisations working to improve the EEFH in London. As Programme Partner, ARE will grant mange the successful organisations.
Programme team
ARE Programme Director Tebussum Rashid
ARE Programme Manager Megan Wong
ARE Programme Administrator Tara Shah
Ubele Initiative, Programme Evaluator Karl Murray
LCF Programme Lead Ola Opoosun
JP Morgan Chase Programme Lead Stephanie Mestrallet
Kind thanks to JP Morgan Chase, via the London Community Fund for supporting this programme. Action for Race Equality is a delivery partner alongside the Ubele Initiative.
current programme participants
Account3
Advice Support Knowledge Information
Aishah Help
Anti-Tribalism Movement
Elevating Success UK
Golden Opportunity Skills and Development
Iconic Steps Film Academy CIC
Money A+E UK CIC
Newark Youth London
Olmec
Plias Resettlement Ltd
Positive Employment Job Brokerage
Skills & Training Network Limited
Skills Enterprise
The Bangladesh Youth Movement
Urban MBA
You Press
Youth and Community Connections
Youth League UK (YL)
Details about this programme can be found on the London Community Fund website.
For more information about the Pathways to Economic Opportunities programme, contact Tebussum Rashid.
*Black and Minoritised backgrounds is the term used by the Pathways to Economic Opportunities Programme
Pathways to Economic Opportunities: Co-Designs Session Phase I
Through Phase I of the P2E programme (October – December 2021), six organisations were awarded stabilization and engagement grant funding of £11,500. They also participated in co-designing Phase II of the programme with ARE, a P2E delivery partner alongside the Ubele Initiative.
This report reflects on the discussions and findings, and aims to provide guidance on the key elements for Phase II.
Case study: Advice, Skills, Knowledge, Information (ASKI)
The project has helped me realise how much we’re doing, through giving us ‘reflection time’ we don’t usually have in the voluntary sector.”
Joseph Jeffers, CEO of ASKI