Participatory grant-making is a collaborative way of working that brings community members into the grant-giving process. The Fund for Global Human Rights does a deep dive into participatory grants in this intro.
Here’s what it all comes down to:
In traditional grant-giving, the organisation giving the money runs the show. Funders decide what needs should be addressed, how funds can be used, and who’s qualified to (and ultimately who does) receive those funds. In this approach, community members are just beneficiaries of the funds.
Participatory grant-making puts communities at the centre of the strategy. In this model, members of the community help decide:
- What core community challenges need to be solved
- How grant money can help address those problems
- What criteria organisations need to meet to apply for funds
- Which organisations should receive funding
The thinking is that by allowing community members the power to choose what and who to fund, we can co-create better solutions that will have more meaningful impact. (author introduction)