We have now closed our first round of funding and therefore do not have any open funding opportunities.

Please consider becoming a member to keep up to date with all things Baobab and any upcoming future opportunities.

The Baobab Foundation is a Funding Organisation, a growing movement and a support system for Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority (People of Colour) communities in the United Kingdom who are working towards racial justice.

We aim to:

Be a radical, new resourcing alternative for Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority communities

Share a new approach to supporting Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority communities with funders and donors that centres our communities’ experiences and expertise

Begin to explore our foundations of pro-blackness, intersectionality and disability justice with our members and wider Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority communities.

The Baobab Foundation was created out of the Black African/Caribbean struggle and resilience in the UK. It catalysed in 2020 by a series of traumatic events including the murder of George Floyd. The creators of Baobab fundraised from UK trusts and foundations and private businesses to challenge and heal our ongoing experiences of underfunding, marginalisation and anti-blackness, but also to celebrate our power, creativity, value, energy and joy.

Baobab is building a space where the struggles, achievements and resistance of Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority communities are recognised and resourced so that we can all achieve justice, unity and freedom:

1. Justice. We want to permanently shift how mainstream funders work with Black and Global Majority communities on racial and disability justice.

2. Unity. Baobab is a pro black, people driven movement, created by and for grassroots communities who are challenging racial injustice.

3. Freedom. We believe that the communities harmed by racism are best placed to create change and to decide what support they need to do this.

Baobab is a by and for member-led organisation, which means we are led entirely by Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority people and serve these communities. We are organised as a dual structure community benefit society. The community benefit society is made up of: one, committee members who appoint sub-committee members for specific tasks and; two, community members who are individuals and organisations. Baobab project team members work collectively to do the operational work to fulfil Baobab’s values and goals agreed by its members.

Our definitions explained:

Black African/Caribbean. Baobab describes Black African/Caribbean people as people who may or may not live on the continent of Africa and who navigate the world in a black body that society has racialised. This can include but is not limited to: all descendants of enslaved West Africans taken to other lands; all people of Africa and its current 54 countries; Caribbeans; South Americans; African Americans; Afro-Caribbeans; Afro-Latin Americans; Black Canadians; people of mixed heritage and so many more. Blackness, and how it is expressed or used is defined by Black people and no one else. Blackness and Politically Black people mean different things to different people.

Global Majority (People of Colour). Baobab recognises that people who are defined as black and minority ethnic are in fact the global majority, at around 80% of the world’s population. The reduction of global majority people to a minority in the West is part of a broader context of systemic oppression.

Pro-black. Baobab is reshaping the funding ecosystem by unapologetically centring and prioritising Black African/Caribbean people in our funding, staffing and support to dismantle structural, systemic anti-blackness. We also more broadly support all Global Majority individuals, groups and organisations.

Intersectionality. Baobab focuses on the ways that systems of oppression, such as capitalism, imperialism, homophobia, ableism, xenophobia, anti-blackness, Islamophobia, sexism, racism, etc. are interconnected. Taking an intersectional approach allows us to call out oppression in all its forms.

Disability justice. Baobab knows that we are powerful not despite the complexities of our bodies and minds, but because of them. We understand that our bodies are bound by ability, race, gender, sexuality, class, nation state and imperialism. We cannot separate these things and so we must dismantle the whole machine.

The fund totals £3 million. Grant amounts can range from £5,000 to £30,000 per year. Grants can be multi-year for up to five years. We expect to make around 30 to 40 grants from this fund. We are anticipating over 1,000 applications.

The formal name of our first fund is “The Baobab Collective Fund”. The fund is a restricted fund under Prism the Gift Fund (registered charity number 1099682). Prism the Gift Fund is a registered UK charity that hosts collective funds for charitable initiatives and performs administrative support for these charitable initiatives. Prism will support the fund to meet charitable requirements and make the grant payments from the fund.

Open to both registered and unregistered groups and individuals

The fund is open to both registered and unregistered groups and organisations and individuals who are aged 18 or over working towards racial justice with a clear charitable purpose.

By and For

Baobab is a by and for organisation, which means we are led entirely by Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority people and we serve these communities.

Baobab has four by, and for principles, we will look for all four principles in the fund applications:

Representation. Individuals identify as Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority people. Groups and organisations have 75% or three quarters of leadership (e.g. director, founder, leader, coordinator, management, board) that identify as Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority people.

Self-led. Individuals, groups and organisations centre and encourage lived experience in their practices and take an intersectional approach to serve the communities they represent. 75% or three quarters of leadership (e.g. director, founder, leader, coordinator, management, board) have lived experience of the issues they work on.

Services. The main focus of the individuals, groups and organisations is to serve Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority communities. 75% of the people and communities accessing the services are Black African/Caribbean and/or Global Majority People of Colour.

Purpose. Your purpose and practices are intentionally challenging oppressive systems.

Values

Individuals, groups and organisations’ purpose and collective working practices are consciously focused on racial justice, lived experience, intersectionality, and challenging oppressive systems.

Geography

The fund is available for communities based in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).

Overall funding distribution

Identity

70% for intersectional support to Black African Caribbean and self-led people, groups and organisations.

30% for intersectional support to other Global Majority and self-led people, groups and organisations.

Geography

70% for work or communities based outside of London.

30% for work or communities based in London.

All of us at Baobab Foundation are on a journey to embody the values of intersectionality, disability justice, and racial justice. We want to take this journey with you. In line with these values and this journey:

We will not leave you behind on the journey for freedom, unity and justice. We know that there are many individuals and groups who have historically experienced and continue to experience increased intersectional systemic oppression.

We are practising equity. We want to create a space where you feel comfortable sharing your specific situations as you take this journey with us.

We will make reasonable adjustments throughout the fund process, so there is universal access. We will anticipate what is needed and respond to needs as they emerge. We will move forward within our practical and financial abilities to meet these needs.

We have resources, both financial and non-financial, and we are inviting you to come in.

The fund is open to both Baobab Foundation members and non-members

The application process will be the same for both members (including Peer Reviewers) and non-members.

Charitable racial justice work

Above we have outlined our values and focus for the fund to help you understand if it is in line with you, your group or your organisation. We do not want to be restrictive in how you do your racial justice work, we can support a range of activities as long as they are charitable. We are defining charitable as not-for-profit work. We will work with you to ensure you can express yourself as you want to, and we can meet the charitable purpose requirements.

We could be resourcing racial justice work that you have been building for years or a new aspect of the racial justice work that you are developing. You might need funds for: a series of wellbeing community events; an intergenerational art collaboration; contributions to heating and lighting costs where your work takes place; salaries to think through your strategy, and so much more.

Our definitions explained:

Being registered means that you are listed under a UK-based regulator or registrar. This fund is open to both registered and unregistered charities and both registered and unregistered non-charities.

We describe Black African/Caribbean as people with African heritage who may or may not live on the continent of Africa and who navigate the world in a black body that society has racialised. This can include but is not limited to: all descendants of enslaved West Africans taken to other lands; all people of Africa and its current 54 countries; Caribbeans; South Americans; African Americans; Afro-Caribbeans; Afro-Latin Americans; Black Canadians; people of mixed heritage and so many more. Blackness and how it is expressed or used are defined by Black people and no one else. Blackness and Politically Black people mean different things to different people.

Global Majority (People of Colour). Baobab recognises that people who are defined as black and minority ethnic are in fact the global majority, at around 80% of the world’s population. The reduction of global majority people to a minority in the West is part of a broader context of systemic oppression.

The guide for what can be resourced for individuals is the same as groups and organisations.

Therefore, your activities must be for a charitable purpose and include all of the values above to serve Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority communities. We cannot resource activities that are for exclusively personal benefit, such as personal equipment, scholarships etc.

Individuals, groups and organisations who do not identify as or are not self-led by Black African/Caribbean or Global Majority people.

Individuals, groups and organisations who do not centre racial justice, lived experience, intersectionality, and addressing oppressive systems.

Individuals, groups or organisations whose primary focus is not the promotion of racial justice or Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority people’s rights.

Work that intentionally excludes or harms people from marginalised social identities that Baobab wants to support. Some examples of these include women, trans people, disabled people, LGBTQ+. Please note we recognise the need for safe spaces for acutely marginalised groups.

Individuals, groups or organisations who are based outside of the UK.

Individuals or group and organisation members under the age of 18 (as Baobab grows we hope to develop our resources for young people).

Activities that are based outside of the UK.

Any activity that has does not have a clear charitable purpose e.g. personal equipment that benefits an individual exclusively.

Any activity that does not have a clear focus on racial justice, lived experience, intersectionality, and addressing oppressive systems.

Any activity that does not benefit Black African/Caribbean or other Global Majority people.

Political parties or any groups set up exclusively for political activities.

Work that exclusively seeks to promote religion.

Government agencies and statutory bodies.

We cannot give money to scholarships, internships, academic research or school because of public benefit rules. Public benefit is described as benefiting the public in general or a significant part of the public. The benefit must be widely accessible and good value for money.

A sub-committee of Baobab Foundation members are Peer Reviewers for the fund. Peer reviewers are Black African/Caribbean and Global Majority people who are grassroots, based in different regions of the United Kingdom, and have both lived and intersectional experiences.

Registrations for the 2022 Collective Fund are now closed.

There are three stages to the application process:

Registrations of Interest - opens 5 September 12pm (UK time) and closes 25 September 5pm (UK time)

A list of short questions to ask for your contact information and some information about you or your group or organisation to see if your work is similar to the focus of the fund. We are expecting over 1,000 applications, so the Baobab team will also review submitted questionnaires to fit with the size of the fund.

Expressions of Interest - open 3 October and closes 31 October

A form with longer and more detailed questions to ask more about your work. You can submit your answers using writing, video or audio. The peer reviewers will decide which applications go through to the final (third) stage.

Conversations - start 1 December and end 16 December

You will have a virtual conversation with a peer reviewer(s) and a member(s) of the Baobab team. You will receive a list of questions before the conversation and we will ask you if you have any additional requirements. You will know whether you are receiving a grant by 15 February 2023 (we expect a lot of applications and are allowing time for the winter holidays). We aim to make the first grant payments by 15 March 2023.

Thank you for sharing this with us. Please email fund@baobabfoundation.org.uk.

We will also offer non-financial support based on the information gathered from the registrations of interest and members’ meetings. You can also become a member of Baobab to access support and solidarity of the network and hear about future opportunities. You can become a member without applying to this fund.

We are planning to launch a Solidarity Fund in 2023/2024. We will share more details in due course.

Please see our approach to keeping information on our website.

If you are resourced by the fund we will ask you to share updates about your work for learning, legacy and Baobab’s legal obligations. We will work with you to make this a respectful and useful process.

Baobab has a community of support who have trusted and believed in Baobab through the stages of our birth and growth. Our Solidarity Partners include trusts and foundations and private businesses who have given money to Baobab.

Although you are unable to apply to the fund, you can become a Radical Friend or a Solidarity Partner.

Please join the live Question and Answer session. It will be recorded and available afterwards, too. If your question is still not answered, please email any questions about the fund to fund@baobabfoundation.org.uk, and send any other feedback to info@baobabfoundation.org.uk.

There are two ways you can resource Baobab Foundation:

You can give via our Just Giving page, this link will be available very soon. And if you’d like to make a larger contribution to our core costs or collective fund, please contact us.