Backbone Fund: sustaining the conditions for justice, democracy and collective care

This year’s Backbone partners are doing this work in deeply rooted and essential ways: building community assets at a local level, coalition building for a future without racism, and strengthening the infrastructure that supports LGBTQ+ communities.

The fundamental values that underpin civil society are under threat globally. As basic rights are questioned and social divisions deepen, the organisations that hold communities together and safeguard hard-won progress are under increasing strain. Through the Backbone Fund, we aim to strengthen the core operating capacity of these organisations, recognising that long-term change depends on stable, well-resourced foundations.

This year, we are proud to support organisations who are tackling complex problems at both the local and national level, including:

A core question for the Backbone Fund is: what conditions allow a just and equitable society to thrive? Democratising access — to land, community spaces, and decision‑making — is central. Black South West Network and Stour Trust are growing local power and assets, strengthening community resilience, and building partnerships across enterprise, community empowerment, racial justice, community wealth building, and cultural equity. Their work enables communities to shape their own futures. 

Heard and the Social Justice Collective are strengthening civil society. Heard uses narrative change and storytelling to bring people together and shift public understanding. The Social Justice Collective delivers training and support to build networks and equip people to tackle the deep-seated societal challenges of racism and other forms of oppression and discrimination. To help grassroots movements thrive, we support Edge Fund, which redistributes funding to innovative groups tackling structural injustice across the UK and Ireland. 

LGBT Consortium addresses structural inequalities by supporting grassroots LGBTQ+ groups, fostering partnerships, and amplifying marginalised voices. The Public Law Project strengthens the foundations of justice by using legal expertise to uphold rights for individuals and organisations facing disadvantage. 

Enact Equality is building a cross‑party movement against racism that brings together politicians, businesses, and communities. Through community‑informed policy work, they push for long‑term protections for people of colour and a safer, more inclusive Parliament.

We are grateful to the work of these and all the organisations we support who are helping build a future rooted in care for one another and the planet.

Backbone Fund awards are made by invitation only.