Call for expressions of interest: Looking for groups to join the Roots Fund 2026 Funding Working Group

Edge Fund's 2026 Roots Fund will continue distributing funds to grassroots groups tackling  Islamophobia, racial injustice, and the legacies of British colonialism in the UK & Ireland, and challenging the increased presence of the far right by leading community-led approaches to radical forms of organising. 

To do this, we invite Edge Fund grantees whose missions align with the Roots Fund's aims to join our Funding Working Group (FWG) and become decision-makers in redistributing 40K to other radical grassroots groups. Your group’s expertise will be key for securing a fair distribution of grants. Edge Fund will provide an induction into our Participatory Grant-Making model and into our methodology to collect, assess and shortlist applications. See a detailed timeline below in section D. 

DEADLINE:  Express your interest to join the FWG by completing this form by Friday 26th June (12 noon)- receive a response by Friday 3rd July 

Important: Contribution

Groups joining the FWG will not be allowed to apply for the Roots fund, but will receive a financial contribution for their participation in the redistribution of funds equivalent to the grant (£1,000.00).

 

CLICK HERE to apply as a scorer group

(please read the criteria below first)

 

<< Criteria to join the FWG>> :

1. This is an open call to Edge grantees as well as those who applied (and were eligible) that:

1. 1. Continue to be active in their campaigning:
   2. Are unregistered grassroots organisations (not CIC, NGOs, CIOs) 
   3. Their aims and mission are aligned with the priorities of the Roots Fund.
   4. Are led by those affected by Islamophobia, Afriphobia, Racism and the legacies of colonial violence. 
   5. Are based in areas most affected by the presence of the far-right or in areas under-represented among Edge grantees (such as Wales & Ireland).
   6. That have an annual income of less than £10K

1. Groups joining the Funding Working Group will have the remit to:

1. Decide the criteria for the redistribution of funds: 
2. Assessing and scoring applications based on the criteria agreed by the FWG.
3. Shortlist 40 grantees.
4. Provide feedback to improve the process.
5. Meet up with the new grantees online and share with them the work of the FWG.

1. Groups selected for the FWG commit to:

1. Contribute to a fair, collaborative environment where we will prioritise care and accountability in order to support grassroots organisations by distributing funds to them.
2. Communicate with each other from a perspective of care and support.
3. Have at least 2 representatives attending the FWG meetings/ scoring the applications.
4. Join all the FWG meetings. See a detailed timeline below.
5. Reporting back to your groups about the work you do as part of the FWG: we aim to inform the process with your expertise as organisers embedded in a community shaped by common goals, strategies and lived experiences, not a sum of individuals. Most meetings will be online but we aim to have an in-person meeting towards the end of the funding round (date and location to be agreed by the FWG members).

 

 

Funding Working Group’s timeline:  

 

Please note down these dates in your diary, members of your group must attend. Please see this excel timeline/ calendar for an easier read. Please make sure your group can commit to this before applying.

1. Induction: July (4 hours)

• Meet the FWG members! What is Edge’s PGM? Thursday 16th of July  6-8PM(Online)
• How do we make decisions together? -  Saturday 18th of July 11AM-1PM (Online)

1. Deciding on the 2026 Roots Fund : July & August (3 hours)

• Guidelines & Criteria - Wednesday 29th of July: 6-7:30PM (Online)
• Application Form & Scoring methods -5th of August: 6-7:30PM (Online) 

The Roots Fund will launch from the 10th of August- 31st of August (3 weeks)

1. Assessing Applications: All of September (10-15 hours) 

• From the 11th - 25th of September each group in the FWG will have 2 weeks to review 30-35 applications and place comments. 
• In-person scoring discussion  Saturday 26th of September 11:00 AM - 5 PM. Location to be agreed with the FWG members. Will groups have time to read through their applications?
• Deadline to complete scoring cards: 30th of September

1. Shortlisting the Roots Grantees: October (2-4 hours)

• Ranking review: 9th of October 6-8PM (Online) 
• Deadline to complete final ranking if needed: 15th of October 

1. Debrief sessions and Meet up (3.5 hours November 2026) 

• Meet up with the 2026 Roots Grantees! November 6-7:30PM (Online)
• FWG Debrief: How can we improve our PGM?/12th Nov 6-7:30PM (Online)

Any questions you can write to the Edge Fund team: [email protected]

As part of the AYNI* programme, we are honoured to welcome our second Radical Sharing online forum of 2026.

On the 2nd of July (18:30-19:45), Queer Migrant Pride Fest will lead a workshop on the Asylum system, its hostility, and the latest changes to asylum law.

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At a time when the far right is growing across the UK, our answer is community power. The Radical Sharing Forum brings grassroots groups together to build relationships, share skills, and strengthen collective resistance.

Click to read more!

Read more

Register for the event here: registration form.

The Radical Sharing Forum of 2026 is here! 🎉💥

Eight grassroots groups are hosting this forum titled Roots of Resistance (resisting the far-right) on Saturday, 25th of April (11:30-18:00) in Manchester.

If you are a community member, organiser, and/ or part of a grassroots group, this forum welcomes you.

The forum will be structured in three sessions:

Session 1: [11:30am-1:30]
The Far-Right: then and now (an intergenerational dialogue)💬

Session 2: [2:30-4:30] A skill-sharing carousel🎡. Choose your strategic workshop.

Session 3: [5-6] Open forum. How do we move forward?🎤

***If you'd like to attend. Fill in the form in our bio first. ***

If you are a group that has been awarded a grant by Edge Fund, travel costs can be covered.

Veggie lunch will be provided.🥙

Accessibility:
The space is wheelchair-accessible.
This is a masked event (masks will be handed out at the entrance). Fill in the form if you have any additional access needs.

Join us for the first in a series of events we are having this year. As part of our Ayni programme aiming at promoting radical sharing among Edge members and supporters, we are hosting an event to reflect on the criminalisation of the movement of solidarity with Palestine in the UK.

We will hear from the experience of three Edge grantees from our Roots Fund and will also have the opportunity to discuss with folks attending how to face this wave of repression against solidarity with Palestinian liberation and its broader impact on the social movements in the UK. 

Thanks to People Against Rafael, Ealing Friends of Palestine and Thanet for Palestine for joining this event.

Please register here:
Registration Form

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Further info: Call for Expressions of Interest to Join Edge's Core Group

 

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The Edge Fund has launched the Pan-Afrikan Community Committee (PACC) to empower Pan-Afrikan members in addressing systemic racism and Afriphobia, fostering accountability and social justice through community-led initiatives, following extensive consultations and collaborative research.

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