Charity sector leaders have urged the government to track the results of the £15m funder collaboration, the Regenerative Futures Fund, as a model for other parts of the country.

The initiative, which was launched today, is an Edinburgh-based, 10-year pooled fund that brings together long-term commitments from some of the UK’s biggest funders.

Twelve major funders collaborated on the funding of the programme, which will offer grants of up to £100,000 annually over 10 years to grassroots organisations in Edinburgh working to address the root causes of poverty, racism and climate change.

Sarah Denslow, principal for effective philanthropy at the think tank NPC, said: “This is a really welcome example of the trends we need to see more of: funders collaborating strategically, funders allowing charities to think long-term, and funders putting the impact of environmental change at the heart of their work.

“We hope the government is keeping an eye on the results of this fund as a model for other parts of the country.”

Carol Mack, chief executive of the Association of Charitable Foundations, said: “Learning from this fund over the next 10 years will be of interest to many ACF members, including  those focused on place-based work and tackling poverty, racism and the climate crisis.”

Mack said the infrastructure body was “delighted to see so many ACF members involved in this initiative”, adding: “The Regenerative Futures Fund is one of nearly 200 funder collaboration opportunities that have been shared on our Funders Collaborative Hub in recent years. 

“Through the hub, we’ve seen how funder collaboration can be particularly beneficial for working towards long-term, systemic change that no single organisation could tackle alone.”

She said that collaborations can provide ways for foundations to work equitably with other partners, such as frontline charities, infrastructure bodies and people with lived experience of the issues being addressed.

“At a time when many charities and community groups are facing significant financial challenges, we are sure that the RFF’s focus on long-term unrestricted funding will be widely welcomed.”

Jay Kennedy, director of policy and research at the training and publishing charity the Directory of Social Change, said: “This looks like a really interesting initiative and it’s great to see funders thinking about how they can provide longer-term funding that’s responsive to the needs of smaller grassroots organisations and their communities. 

“Hopefully part of this will involve learning and sharing about what works, and an ongoing dialogue with grant recipients about how projects may need to adapt to future challenges that might not be obvious right now.”

Helen Wray, head of philanthropy at one of the programme’s funders, Foundation Scotland, said: “This is an ambitious fund that ultimately aims to empower people to play a central role in improving their lives and those of others.

“We talk about this kind of approach often, but rarely do we see it so powerfully laid out. The Regenerative Futures Fund has the potential to create a compelling model for others to follow. We will fully support them to make that ambition a reality.”