Our Commitment to Equity in Grant Making

We want everyone applying for a grant to have a fair and positive experience. To help us do this, we’re using the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Data Standard—a shared framework developed by UK funders to better understand who is being reached by funding and where gaps might exist.

By collecting information in the same way as other funders, we can see whether our funding is reaching communities that face systemic barriers—and take action if it isn’t.

How We Talk About Communities

We know that using broad labels to describe people and communities doesn’t always reflect the full picture of individual identities or lived experience. That’s why we aim to:

• Use the terms that people and communities choose for themselves.
• Recognise how different parts of someone’s identity can overlap (e.g. women experiencing racial inequity).

Be thoughtful and respectful in the language we use.

What Information We Collect

To better understand the organisations we support, we collect data on:

• The communities that an organisation is targeting or supporting: Where 75% or more of the people supported or who are intentionally being targeting share a particular identity or experience.
• Who leads the organisation: Where 75% or more of board members and at least 50% of senior staff share a particular identity or experience.

When and How We Collect This Data

Starting from 5th August 2025, we will ask applicants to complete a short DEI monitoring section as part of the application form. This includes selecting categories that apply to your leadership and the communities you work with.
Review our guidance  on categories and questions included on the application form here.

This information:

• Will not be used to assess your application, unless clearly stated in the Fund criteria.
• Will help us monitor and improve our grant making.
• May be included in data we publish about our grants—but you can opt out of this if needed.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions:

Will this information affect our application?
No. The DEI data is for monitoring purposes only and won’t influence funding decisions unless the fund criteria says otherwise.

How were the categories chosen?
They were developed through research and consultation with charities and community organisations. We’ve also included open text boxes so you can describe anything that doesn’t fit the categories provided.

What do you mean by ‘lived experience’?
Lived experience means personal experience of an issue—like being in care, facing long-term unemployment, or involvement with the criminal justice system. This shapes how people understand and respond to these issues.

What if our organisation doesn’t meet your definition of ‘led by’ a community?
That’s okay. If your leadership includes people with relevant lived experience in other ways, you can explain that in the free text boxes on the form.