The Solidarity Fund

This fund is a long-term funding program aimed at tackling the root causes of inequality, including poverty, disadvantage, and discrimination, primarily in England. It supports voluntary and community organizations that are led by and accountable to people with lived experience of the issues they seek to address.

Objectives:

• Make big and lasting changes to the root causes of poverty, disadvantage, or discrimination through systems change.
• Support people with lived experience to lead and influence change.
• Foster solidarity by bringing together different communities and issues to work collectively.
• Build community power by developing skills, confidence, and organization for lasting impact.
• Create, share, and use learning from people experiencing inequality to influence decision-making and public understanding.

Target Beneficiaries:

• Constituted voluntary/community organizations, registered charities, CIOs, CICs, community benefit societies, co-operative societies serving communities in England.
• Organizations must have leadership or accountability structures involving people with lived experience.
• Partnerships with prior experience working together are eligible.
• Not open to schools, public bodies, individuals, profit-making companies, or organizations outside the UK.

Application Process:

• Apply online with a summary of intended impact; detailed plans are requested at the second stage.
• Two-stage application process with decisions taking up to 8 months total.
• Ongoing application deadlines.
• Support available for communication needs.

Key Features:

• Funding size: £1 million to £5 million, spent over 5 to 10 years.
• Around 10 organizations expected to be funded in the first year.
• Funding covers staff, development, transport, utilities, volunteer expenses, learning, equipment, minor capital costs, and translation.
• Political activity funding allowed only if non-party political and benefits public/society.
• Emphasis on building on existing knowledge and community relationships.
• Encourages flexible, evolving work responsive to community needs.
• Not focused on direct service delivery but on systemic change and community empowerment.

The fund prioritizes organizations that work collaboratively, build power in communities, and use lived experience to drive systemic change for lasting social impact.

For more details and application guidance, visit the official site: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/solidarity-fund