On 5 December 2024, four national infrastructure organisations, Action for Race Equality (ARE), The Ubele Initiative, Voice4Change England, and Olmec, came together to host the National Capacity Building Conference, which looked to tackle an all-important question: “What ‘Really’ Works for Black and Asian-led Organisations?”
National Capacity Building Conference Report – November 2025
This event brought together over 40 organisations, including practitioners, community leaders, and funders, to examine how Black and Asian-led ‘by and for’ organisations can be better supported to grow, sustain their work, and strengthen their long-term impact.
The conference was the first major collaboration of its kind between these four expert organisations. The discussions, reflections, and shared learning formed the basis of this Capacity Building Report, published in November 2025.
Why Now?
This conference delved into the heart of capacity building, and asks what really works?
Across the UK, around 170,000 registered charities exist, with approximately 80% operating on an annual income below £100,000.
Many Black and Asian-led organisations fall into this category, often delivering vital services to local communities while facing:
- limited resources
- high demand
- systemic funding barriers
- a lack of culturally competent support from funders
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a need for stronger and more resilient organisations in the face of crisis. The conference explored what meaningful capacity building actually looks like for organisations serving Black and Asian communities.
Partners and leaders across the sector united, now more than ever, to uncover actionable insights to support frontline service providers and community asset-based organisations in building resilience, scaling delivery, and fostering impactful leadership.
What’s Inside the Report?
The full report presents a detailed analysis of the barriers facing Black and Asian-led organisations, alongside practical recommendations and real insights from the sector:
Background and Context in our Sector
The report sets out the landscape Black and Asian-led organisations operate in, including sector data, funding pressures, and looks at why many groups struggle with the same problems, including small budgets, limited staff, and unequal access to support.
Key Themes and Insights
Common messages emerged from every workshop facilitated at the conference, from the need for culturally competent support to the importance of stable funding, better governance resources, collaboration, and community-rooted leadership.
Time Constraints and Practical Challenges
This section further explains the real operational strain organisations face: juggling frontline delivery, admin, funding demands, crisis responses, and strategic work often with only one or two staff. This section makes clear why “capacity” isn’t just about training but how time is a limited resource.
Power Dynamics and Funding Relationships
Breaks down how funder behaviour tends to shape the sector: inconsistent communication, unclear criteria, short timelines, unequal expectations, and the emotional labour of constantly proving legitimacy. Organisations gave candid reflections on what does and doesn’t work.
Barriers and Best Practice identified by Organisations
This section shows the main systemic issues raised at the conference which includes compliance burdens to competition for resources, alongside the practical approaches organisations say genuinely help; such as transparent communication, peer support, and long-term relationships.
Best Practices for Capacity Building
This details the methods that organisations found most effective, including mentoring, action learning, skills development in governance and finance, and the importance of support delivered by people with lived experience. The emphasis is on practical, sustainable, flexible, relational approaches.
Innovative Tools and Methodologies
Thanks to a talk from Urban MBA, this covers the tools introduced during the conference, such as the Theory of Change, digital planning tools, and early examples of AI being used for admin and fundraising. The main focus is on tools that reduce workload rather than add complexity for these organisations.
The Future of Capacity Building
We also focus heavily on how the sector wants to move forward – away from short bursts of training and towards long-term investment, stronger ecosystems, and more collaborative infrastructure support.
Strategic Recommendations
These recommendations offer clear advice for funders and Black and Asian-led organisations, covering fairer funding practice, organisational planning, partnership approaches, and how the sector can work collectively to improve equity.
Hear from our attendees and partners!
Uncover more directly from those who participated in the National Capacity Building Conference.
Who Contributed?
Thanks to the contributions at the National Capacity Building Conference, the report reflects the experience, observations, and insights shared by:
- representatives from 40+ Black and Asian-led organisations
- national infrastructure bodies (ARE, V4CE, Ubele, Olmec)
- funders, commissioners, and practitioners
- community and voluntary sector leader
As a result, this report is grounded in real experiences and the challenges which were voiced directly by the sector.
We’d like to thank all the organisations, funders, practitioners and community and voluntary sector leaders who joined us and contributed their expertise, helping shape the discussions and insights throughout the conference proceedings. We encourage those interested to stay tuned for more.
Download the Full Report HERE
For more information about our work or to get in touch, please contact hello@actionforraceequality.org.uk.
