About the Network for Social Change

The Network for Social Change was founded in 1985. We wanted to use our money to promote social change and to encourage other people with money to look at the implications of having wealth in a world where so many don’t. Some inspiration and practical help came from people doing similar work in the US.

Our first conference was attended by 28 people. Funding of projects started in the following year. We now have around 100 members of all ages, mostly UK-based, and including many successful entrepreneurs as well as inheritors. Between 2004 and 2007 we distributed over £3.5million in grants to over 300 projects and we now raise around £1 million each year.

As our name suggests, we seek to fund projects that aim to change things - tackling causes rather than symptoms. We do not have a formal set of funding criteria, but a list of objectives from a recent brainstorming session included:

• reducing the gap between rich and poor;
• preserving cultural diversity and tolerance;
• devolution of power;
• changing attitudes to money and consumerism;
• redressing human rights abuses;
• restoring reverence to the diversity of all life

More information about projects.

The Network operates through a charitable company, The Network for Social Change (registered charity no: 295237), and a non-charitable company, Funding for Change Limited (company no:  02045547), which funds non-charitable projects. An administrator provides resources to both these companies and is the only paid member of staff. Formal responsibility for these companies is undertaken by the directors, who are all members of the Network.

The Network is not open to unsolicited grant applications, nor does it make contributions to political parties.