Supporting diverse future leaders

Friday 25 November 2022 

Update 23 Dec 2022: This Fund has now closed. Sign up to our blog to find out first when new funding is available

Voluntary organisations that help diverse* young people become leaders and activists can apply from today (25 November) for unrestricted grants from our new, flexible ‘Future Communities Fund’.

Funding of up to £30,000 per year for five years is now available. This innovative fund encourages organisations to share power with young people to create more inclusive, diverse and equitable communities. 

Eligible organisations must: 

• Have an annual turnover of £250k or less 
• Have young people’s voices from all backgrounds and abilities at the core of their delivery 
• Advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in all areas of society 
• Actively engage with young people from diverse communities in a meaningful and inclusive way 
• Have experience of removing barriers and providing opportunities for young people 
• Have experience of delivering meaningful youth social action which supports young people into leadership roles, and 
• Be able to demonstrate they have experience of co-operation/collaboration. 

Find out more and get involved by completing the Foundation’s first stage application. Applications will close at 12pm (midday) on Friday 23 December. 

The Future Communities Fund is the first fund launched by the Co-op Foundation as part of its new ‘Building communities of the future together’ strategy.  

This strategy directs the Foundation to pioneer a distinctly co-operative way of funding organisations and young people to create future, fair communities built on co-operative values.  

Nick Crofts, CEO of the Co-op Foundation said: 

 “The Future Communities Fund is borne out of our bold, new five-year strategy, ‘Building communities of the future together’. We worked with young people to develop this vision, and now we’re pioneering a co-operative way of grant-giving to bring it to life. Today’s funding will help by offering unrestricted, flexible and trusting grants to organisations passionate about supporting diverse young people to become leaders and activists. Good luck to any organisation that applies. Let’s build communities of the future together.” 

Co-op Foundation is the Co-op’s charity and it’s co-operating for a fairer world. 

The Foundation believes co-operation is at the heart of strong communities and this makes it a different kind of funder. 

Find out why this matters on the Co-op Foundation’s website.  

For more information, please email Corporate Communications Officer, Hannah Charlton. 

*Co-op Foundation’s working definition of diverse is people who have experience of being marginalised in society due to their race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status or any other attribute that impacts their inclusion. Young people are woefully underrepresented and, in some instances, actively excluded from opportunities to thrive in leadership roles. The Foundation wants to change this to build fairer communities of the future together.