Global Dialogue -Shaping the Future: A Fund to Support Leadership in the Migration Sector

Overview

About the fund

The ‘Shaping the Future’ Leadership Initiative is designed to bolster leadership in the refugee and migration sector. It offers targeted support to:

• Grassroots organisations
• Individuals with lived experience of migration

The fund promotes leadership development that is:

• Anti-oppressive: Challenging systemic inequities and power dynamics.
• Wellbeing-focused: Prioritising mental health and sustainable leadership practices.
• Grounded in lived experience: Building on the strengths and insights gained through lived experience of migration

Through this initiative, organisations and individuals can design and tailor their own leadership programmes or approaches to meet the specific needs of their teams and communities.

Criteria for the Shaping the Future Fund 

The fund is open to individuals, organisations, and partnerships currently supporting or interested in supporting leadership development in the refugee and migration sector. 

The size of the grant depends on how much you are applying for. If you are applying as: 

• An individual, you can request up to £10,000 for 1-2 years. 
• An organisation, you can request £10,000 - £60,000 for 1-2 years. 
• A collaborative partnership, you can request £60,000 - £100,000 for 2 years only. 

Please note that you can request different amounts in each year (e.g. a £20,000 grant over two years could look like £9,000 in year one, £11,000 in year two). 

Programme Aims

The Shaping the Future Fund is focused on projects aiming: 

• To develop the capacity and capability of leaders in the migration sector; supporting leaders to develop their knowledge and skill set to become better leaders. 
• To support the wellbeing of leaders in the migration sector.
• To advocate for systemic change in the migration sector and centre sustainability. 

To be eligible: 

• Individuals, organisations and collaborative partnerships must be UK-based 
• Individuals must have the right to work in the UK 
• Individuals, organisations and collaborative partnerships should work on the specific areas of focus mentioned above.
• Individuals, organisations and collaborative partnerships must be led by or be collaborating with leaders with lived experience of the UK refugee and migration sector. 
• Organisations and collaborative partnerships must have a safeguarding policy or safe practice guidelines. 

Prioritisation and lived experience representation 

Alongside the criteria for applicants, the Shaping the Future fund is particularly focused on developing lived experience leadership in the sector. To ensure they are funding organisations that truly value lived experience representation, they require organisations or partnerships that apply to have good lived experience representation at each level of the organisation(s). For more information about this, please read the FAQs.

Eligible costs

The funding can be used for a number of different things including but not limited to:

• Pathways for entry and career development in migration organisations.
• Skill, knowledge, resources and access building for individuals working in the sector.
• Curated spaces for collective healing, rest and joy building.
• Strategic Partnerships.
• Communications and storytelling work.
• Opportunities for co-creation and participation approaches to work.
• Wellbeing support for those working in the sector.