We’re developing our long-term strategy for the decade ahead, and want it to be shaped by the people and communities closest to us.
Over the past eight weeks, we have heard from grantholders, young people, the Quaker community, peer funders, sector bodies, researchers and our own team - through workshops in London and York, online sessions, interviews and surveys. This has been an important listening exercise and we’ve learned a great deal from it. This page sets out an overview of what we heard.
Across all these conversations, some consistent themes emerged about how JRCT could be more effective and useful as a funder. While some of these themes may not be new, it felt important to hear them coming through so consistently across different groups, and in the current UK context.
We will be taking all of this into consideration as we develop our strategy.
What we heard about JRCT’s role
Firstly, we heard positive reflections on JRCT and our ways of working. Those we spoke to also pointed to JRCT’s distinctive contribution, particularly:
- A willingness to fund important work that others may overlook - The values rooted in our Quaker heritage - A relational, trust-based approach to grantmaking - Our place within a small but significant group of values-led funders.
At the same time, there was a clear call for sharper focus - recognising that we cannot do everything, and that deliberate choices about priorities will be essential.
We were urged to move towards greater clarity on the sort of funder we want to be, and where and how we want to make a difference.
Eight themes emerging from the conversations
1. Long-term, flexible funding
The most consistent message was the importance of long-term, unrestricted (where possible) funding.
We heard that support over five to ten years can be transformative - enabling organisations to plan, take risks and build deeper impact.
At the same time, those we heard from acknowledged the trade-offs, particularly between sustained support for existing partners and reaching a wider range of organisations.
2. Reflecting real-world interconnectedness
The issues we fund do not exist in isolation. They’re experienced as overlapping and interconnected, and funding approaches need to reflect that reality. Climate intersects with human rights, which intersects with migration. We heard that the programme areas we have are relevant and important.
We could do more in terms of funding across and between these.
3. Protecting the conditions for change
Many highlighted the increasingly challenging context for civil society, with some organisations facing severe or even existential pressures.
There is a growing sense that funders could be more active in safeguarding and strengthening the conditions that make social change possible.
4. Addressing the narrative gap
Stakeholders identified a gap in the “narrative infrastructure” around social change.
This is not about speaking on behalf of others, but about ensuring ideas and evidence are better communicated, understood and shared among wider audiences.
We heard there is a role for JRCT in helping to translate and amplify the work of those we fund, and in supporting stronger public narratives. Put simply – the people and organisations we fund do wonderful things and produce sharp analyses of how the world could be better. We think there is a real opportunity for thinking about how we translate that work and get it beyond the sector.
5. Using our voice with clarity and purpose
We could use our own voice thoughtfully and deliberately by: - Amplifying the perspectives of our grantholders - Speaking from our own practice and experience, particularly in relation to philanthropy, ethical investment and our reparations programme.
6. Convening to strengthen the field
Convening was widely welcomed, particularly where it supports learning, collaboration and shared problem-solving. This should be driven by the needs of the field and properly resourced to be meaningful.
7. Embedding reparations work
There is real interest in and support for JRCT’s work on reparations. Those we spoke to encouraged us to continue and to articulate more clearly how this work connects to our wider strategy and grantmaking.
8. Supporting responsible transitions
One of the more difficult but necessary questions we asked was: if as a result of this learning, we decide we have to stop doing some things, how can we do that responsibly?
If or where funding relationships come to an end, stakeholders stressed the importance of doing so with care and responsibility. This includes:
- Providing sufficient notice - Communicating openly and honestly - Offering transition support and signposting - Avoiding abrupt “cliff-edge” endings
What happens next
We’ve spent time going through everything we heard and reflecting on what it might mean for JRCT’s role in UK civil society. These insights are helping to shape how we’re thinking about our future.
We want to keep working with those we’re close to and building on the relationships and trust that made these conversations so valuable.
We’re also aware that we won’t be able to do everything. Any strategy involves real choices and trade-offs - and we want to approach this next phase thoughtfully as we work out the right direction for JRCT.
There are still a few stages to go. The final strategy will be agreed next year and launched by 2028. We’ll share updates along the way through our website, social media and newsletters.