ABOUT US

The Alliance originated over a shared concern amongst funders regarding the entrenched racial disparities in systems and communities in the UK. Starting out as a small collective, we collaborated with race equality organisations to outline the co-creation and progress of a new alliance achieving race equality.

Today, we are a semi-structured Alliance of over 40 members. We’re deepening our relationship with Black and Minoritised-led orgnisations by co-creating our priority areas and tackling inequality in grant making and internal cultures.

The philanthropic sector have a responsibility and leadership role to play in tackling race inequality. Navigating this can be complicated, with our country’s history and power dynamics at play. That’s why we are:

  • Accountable to each other and the sector, and actively learning from experience.

  • Unapologetic in taking a progressive approach to philanthropy, with race justice, equity, and inclusion at its heart.

  • Committed to driving systemic change by shifting and sharing power with Black and Minortised-led organisations and the communities that funders serve.

Who We Are

Established in 2015, we are a group of funders working together to achieve race equality in the UK through philanthropy.

What we
believe in

We believe in being transparent about our challenges and lessons learned to take action.

We are committed to long and short-term change.

We will develop reactive and long-term investment strategies to address the root cause and effects of structural racism.

We’re inclusive.

We meet our members varied approaches and starting points with multifaceted resources to produce knowledge to drive systemic and structural change.

We’re collaborative.

We prioritise the lived experience and expertise of the race equality sector, following the vision of the communities bearing the brunt of racism.

We’re active listeners.

We listen to the challenges faced by the sector, whilst understanding the exhaustion of speaking up. Funders draw on this knowledge to shift priorities and practice, remaining action-oriented.

We’re comfortable with challenge.

Race and racism may be uncomfortable to talk about, but we make it our mission to interrogate any discomfort to ensure engagement and progress.

How We Work

Creating spaces and resources for funders to champion and challenge strategies, behaviours and practices.

Improving funder practice by supporting and challenging funders.

Support, camaraderie, and trust is key amongst our members. We have created a community of funders to identify challenges and address the gaps about what works, for whom, and in which contexts. We support members to develop networks and better understand their barriers, needs and opportunities.

Convening funders to influence, identify common ground, share good practice and opportunities to collaborate.

Members and the wider sector have valued FREA’s role of ensuring that continuous funding, knowledge and attention is paid to race equality. We create curated spaces to influence decision-makers to bring about a stronger race equality focus back to their organsiations.

Producing tools and knowledge that enables action on racial justice in funding organisations.

Members have access to a diverse network of funders across the UK. They also co-produce resources such as research, tools and initiatives to act and prioritise race equality. There are also opportunities to develop joint initiatives and collaborative funding to strategically strengthen the sector.

Getting better connected with the race equality sector, and intersectional issues.

The Alliance is working to rebuild the trust of the sector by holding funders accountable within an environment of trust. We embrace the principle of ‘nothing about us, without us’, and that the voices of Black and Minoritised communities are at the heart of everything that the Alliance does.

Previous events include:

Raheel Mohammed (Director of Maslaha) and Dr. Hina J. Shahid (Chair of Muslim Doctors Association) spoke about the intersection of racism and Islamophobia, and how funders can be part of the solution.

FREA collaborated with Edgar Villanueva (Founder of Decolonizing Wealth Project) for a conversation on approaches in philanthropy with Farzana Khan (co-founder of Healing Justice London) and Derek Bardowell (CEO of Ten Years Time).

Yvonne Field (CEO and Founder of The Ubele Initiative), Chrisann Jarret (CEO of We Belong) and Colin Prescod (Chair of the Institute for Race Relations) all took part in a three part-series collaboration with Migration Exchange, providing funders with the space to explore the intersection between race and migration.

Click the image of our Theory of Change above to expand

Our Impact

“The Alliance really expanded our understanding. It allowed us to have a nuanced understanding and to test different things and have those conversations, which we weren't having.” - Anonymous Member

“The Alliance challenges us to do more because you see other funders do more. Members are ringfencing funds, creating new initiatives, looking into their endowment history or addressing racial injustice in their own organisations.” - Anonymous Member

“The toolkit has been phenomenal. The one thing it has done is help us look at programmes of work we've done over the last year and test it and say, have we been equitable? So, I'd say as a new member, what it's done is hold a mirror up to us and say, what is the truth about us as an equitable funder? Can we put that on a badge and say we are, I would say we're not yet, but we are working towards it.” Anonymous Member

“The network provides knowledge and resources that we can take back into our organisation and have honest discussions and take action . It does feel like a safe yet critical space.” Anonymous Member

“What the Alliance is doing is long overdue. It keeps race equality on funders’ agendas for the longer term. ” Anonymous Member

GOVERNANCE

The Steering Group

The Alliance is governed by a Black and Minoritised-led steering group, ensuring that all decision-making is grounded in our values. The group is open, transparent and accountable in how it approaches Alliance business.

The Group is led by Co-chairs, ensuring the Alliance pursues its objectives effectively and makes good use of its resources. They also chair quarterly meetings, have an ambassadorial role and encourage all members to engage in the priority areas by drawing on their skills, experience, and knowledge where appropriate.

ESMERALDA GAMBELLI
(CO-CHAIR)

Esmeralda Gambelli, Grant Manager at Henry Smith Charity, supports marginalized communities. As a trustee at Rosa UK, chair of for the Grant Funders' Network, and co-founder of a grassroots advocacy group, she is dedicated to achieving race equit and her contributions are vital to FREA's growth!

JANE TANNER

A Grants Manager at Paul Hamlyn Foundation Jane has over 25 years’ experience of developing partnerships across sectors which centre arts and education-based approaches to support young people. She is a contributor to investment in organisations and groups led by and for Black people and communities.

NELLY KOKO-KONAN
(CO-CHAIR)

Currently a Proactive Programmes Manager for The Clothworkers Foundation, Nelly has experience of grant-making in both US and UK contexts. Nelly commits to race equity through collaboration and learning, fighting for stronger and more equitable grant making practices.

DEBBIE PIPPARD

Working as the Director of Programmes for the Barrow Cadbury Trust, Debbie brings a wealth of experience spanning grant making, voluntary sector, NHS and research. Debbie brings great integrity, commitment and understanding of the sector, supporting FREA to grow.

ABDOU SIDIBE

Director of Grants at the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Abdou has extensive grant-making experience having led strategic collaborations with funders at a regional and national level. Abdou is deeply committed to developing anti-racist practices and reimagining philanthropy.

Our Secretariat


Equally Ours, a UK charity, acts as the Secretariat for the Alliance, bringing together people and organisations working across equality, human rights and social justice to make a reality of these in everyone’s lives.

Tracey acts as the Programme Director. She leads the development of the priorities and long term strategy and vision of the Alliance. She manages the Secretariat providing expertise and leadership across the objectives and wider network.

Ellora is the Programme Assistant who supports on delivering key programmes and operational activities of the Alliance. They work closely with funders to increase engagement and investment in racial justice.