RCF new grantmaking model: When communities decide

This report is about the Robert Carr Fund (RCF) model of participatory grant making. It describes the approach, and presents evidence and insights from grantees, funders, founders, and other stakeholders. RCF has found that combining a participatory approach with long-term, core funding builds strong, resilient, and sustainable civil society and community networks in the HIV response. There is clear evidence in favor of participatory grant making. It comes from the stakeholder interviews, and it comes from the wider literature1

By using participatory approaches, RCF have improved their strategy and their grant making, and begun the overdue process of shifting power to inadequately served populations.

There are four elements of the approach lead to five outcomes for grantees: civil society advocacy, resilience, organizational capacity, program quality and sustainability. The four elements can be seen as causal ‘roots’, which lead to the ‘branches’ or outcomes for grantees. It is the principle of civil society participation that leads to the other elements of flexible, core, long-term funding, and the commitment to shifting the power.

10 Tips For Funders

The report closes with 10 tips for funders who may be considering participatory grant making:

• Simplify processes
• Listen to grantees
• Define success in grant making
• Learn from others about the benefits and challenges of participatory grant making
• Engage senior leadership and the Board in the discussion
• Decide how willing and able you are to change your rules and procedures.
• Include more representation from grantees and the people they serve
• Establish and strengthen systems for managing conflict of interest
• Commit staff time
• Celebrate, document, and share your progress