Overview

The programme commenced in 2021 for a period of up to five years, and funded organisations have been working to tackle serious issues that have seen increased demand throughout the pandemic including racial inequality, homelessness, early childhood development, forced migration, domestic abuse and mental health.

As we know COVID-19 has exacerbated issues of poverty and highlighted inequalities notably around race, gender, disability and sexuality and Comic Relief has distributed emergency funds in a number of ways to support organisations surviving and adapting in response to COVID-19.

This programme was designed to find innovative solutions to problems affecting vulnerable people that have been overlooked or under-resourced at a local, regional and national level throughout COVID-19 and now looking at the social and structural changes needed in the recovery period. The Programme aspires to go further with this funding and to make bigger and/ or lasting changes beyond the organisations funded and their direct beneficiaries.

AT A GLANCE

Timeframe:

2021-2025


Funded partners:

20


Value:

9.1 million


Location:

UK (all four nations)

Goals

The cohort is diverse in terms of their issue area, as well as their approach (from service delivery, to campaigning and movement building, to influencing local commissioning. And some are working in partnership with other organisations to deliver work.

Funded partners were selected to work across a range of issue areas (Comic Relief’s previous social change themes: gender justice, safe place to be – homelessness and migration, children survive and thrive - early childhood development and mental health).

Organisations were selected based on being identified as ‘user-led’ with much of the leadership from the community(ies) the organisation served.

Organisations were able to apply for a combination of core and project costs.

The cohort are considered ‘change makers’, seeking to offer new or existing innovative solutions to offer lasting change in the areas of work they specialise in and beyond.  

CM - Current Funded Partners

Funded Partners

We are partnering with the following organisations, to implement the work on the Change Makers Programme. Some of the partners listed below are currently in funding, and some have received funding in the past:

Women’s Aid Northern Ireland

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Women’s Health and Family Services and Ratio  

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Southall Black Sisters

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Wearside Women In Need

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Women’s Budget Group

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Justice and Care  

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Centre for Knowledge Equity

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Ashley Community & Housing

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Scottish Refugee Council

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Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group 

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Midaye Somali Development Network

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Housing Justice Cymru

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Centre for Homelessness Impact  

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Partner voices

Like many of our programmes, learning is central to the Change Makers Programme. New Philanthropy Capital (NPC(opens in new window)) have been providing support outside of the traditional funding offer to the organisations that have received funds under this programme. NPC have been selected to deliver a programme of learning inclusive of technical support and a peer learning. The first phase of work has offered technical support aimed at monitoring, evaluation and learning within the scope of funded work. The second phase of work will look to offer organisations opportunity for development, cross-sector collaboration, and convening.