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Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

EDI

Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation is committed to transforming the way we distribute funding to ensure it is equitable, transparent and representative.

We believe it is imperative for philanthropy to become more equitable, diverse and inclusive in its practices for three main reasons:

1. Advance the common good. Those of us in philanthropy have dedicated ourselves to promoting the common good. Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our organisations and grantmaking helps us live up to our values.

2. Increase effectiveness. Diverse perspectives within foundations can help build better relationships with grantees, improve team problem-solving, and lead to better outcomes.

3. Enhance impact. The communities we serve, our partners in business and government, are becoming increasingly diverse. We need to understand and reflect this rich variety of perspectives in order to achieve greater impact.

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How BLCF are

Delivering This Commitment

BLCF has develoeped an EDI Strategy to demonstrate our commitment to supporting the most vulnerable and most disadvantaged in our communities. By delivering our work with this strategy in mind, we ensure our dedication to our own Strategic Plan: Local Focus, Lasting Change.

EDI Framework

Our EDI Strategy is delivered through our EDI framework to ensure we look at how we use the Listen, Learn Adapt and Change approach to inform our work. From this, we ensure we address two of our three Golden Threads:

  1. Address inequality across protected characteristics
  2. Listen and learn from our community partners
BLCF Work Focuses On

Diversity

Our People

Our staff and trustees reflect the communities we serve and do so through lived experience and protected characteristics.

We are working hard to recruit people with protected characteristic and those that bring lived experience to paid and volunteer roles at BLCF. To find out more about current paid and unpaid vacancies HERE

Our Trustees

Our Staff

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BLCF holds EDI at the front of

Our Grantmaking

What we have delivered already

Our priority for last 2 years has been in diversity and going forward we will do more to engage other protected characteristics. Since 2022 we have delivered 5 grants, aimed primarily at/for diverse led groups and communities or those with wider protected characteristic to specifically address the inequity in funding. We delivered

Community Recovery Fund

To target most disadvantaged groups impact by covid , primarily those with disability and diverse communities. In total we awarded £1,094,678 benefiting 53,832 people.

Collaboration Funding

To group sustainable and transformational partnership between VCSE groups especially those working with the most marginalised communities. In total we awarded £294,046 benefiting 3,528 people

Luton Citizens' Fund

To reach all wards in Luton with a fast track option for groups who face barriers to accessing funding. In total we awarded across three rounds of funding  £527,940 to 153 applicants with potentially 52,440 beneficiaries

Bedfordshire Community Support Fund

To target grassroots groups and support the process of application writing. In total we support the fund and awarded £44,853 to 10 groups and 7075 beneficiaries.

Stability Fund

To support core work of charities who engage with those with highest levels of needs and who face inequity. In total we have awarded across three rounds of funding £875,472 to 36 groups with 55,554 beneficiaries

Funders for Race Equality Alliance (FREA)

The FREA Racial Justice Audit compares how BLCF addresses inequality and racial injustice across the funding sectors with the national average, and is used to help us shape our thinking going forward.

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BLCF works to address

Our Grantmaking

More than diversity

Although our focus for the past 2 years has been on diversity we are always looking to support the work of groups with lived experience across a range of protected characteristics. Whilst we strive to support all we recognise there is always work to be done and will work hard to address this through our programme, INSIGHT, data and reach.

In 2023-2024 BLCF awarded the following grants against all the protected characteristics.

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BLCF is proud of

Our Memberships

BLCF are proud to be a member of the following organisations, demonstrating our commitment to EDI initiatives:

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