Deciding Together York: trusting communities to lead change through participatory grantmaking

Deciding Together York: trusting communities to lead change through participatory grantmaking

In 2021, York Multiple & Complex Needs Network (MCN) and Two Ridings Community Foundation joined forces in an ambitious experiment in participatory grant-making (PGM). This article sums up the process and key insights drawn from this experimentation.

The initiative The Deciding Together Local Fund for York set out to shift the power of funding decisions into the hands of people closest to the issues — a move that has resonated far beyond the city. This experimentation was made possible by £250,000 (€300,000) support from the Lankelly Chase Foundation.

The aim of this participatory grantmaking experimentation was clear: to enable those with lived and professional experience of complex social challenges — including homelessness, mental health, addiction, poverty, and offending — to co-design and co-decide how funds should be distributed. It was a deep response to a common critique of top-down grantmaking: that it often reinforces the very systems it seeks to transform.

In partnership with facilitation experts from The Art of Hosting community, a working group of 20 diverse individuals came together. They co-created the name, the process, and the decisions — right through to who received funding.

Designing a Participatory Process

The project was intentionally inclusive. Time and energy went into involving people of different ages, professional backgrounds, and lived experiences. However, the team reflected critically on the limitations of the cohort’s ethnic diversity, recognising this as a key area for learning and action.

The participatory design extended far beyond final grant decisions. Over nine months, the working group made decisions about every stage of the process — framing the fund, determining criteria, reading applications, and awarding funds. Importantly, when decisions had to be made outside the group, transparency and trust were prioritised. A key phrase guided the process: “Your best is always good enough. If your best today is not as good as yesterday or tomorrow, it is still good enough.”

This principle supported a culture of radical trust, which proved vital to navigating the inevitable tensions and ambiguities of a truly emergent process.

Navigating Complexity and Challenges

Of course, challenges emerged. The team encountered the discomfort of the “groan zone” — the middle phase of group development where ideas clash, roles shift, and clarity wavers. Participation required a leap of faith, which not all could sustain — especially when trauma or life challenges made uncertainty harder to hold.

Some areas for improvement were candidly acknowledged:

• The group lacked cultural representativeness;
• Payment for participation was insufficient, leading to one person stepping back;
• Balancing participatory inspiration with legal, governance and operational constraints remained a constant tension.

But from these challenges came learning — not just for the future of this process, but for the broader field of community-led grantmaking in the UK and beyond.

Impact Beyond the Fund

The project catalysed wider shifts:

• A skilled network of 20 local residents championed participatory methods across York, including in areas such as health alliances and lived experience governance;
• Funded initiatives have deepened reflection and shifted support systems for people experiencing homelessness, addiction and poverty;
• Other funders and networks are taking note. Two Ridings has been collaborating with regional, national, and global peers to embed participation more deeply into philanthropic practice.

As one panel member put it: “I love that local people are making local decisions on how a pot of money can benefit local communities… it’s often the smallest things that make the biggest difference.”
Another shared: “I am a more enriched person being involved in the Panel.”

Participation as a Transformative Practice

One of the strongest insights from the Deciding Together experience is that participation is not just a method — it is a culture shift. Trauma-informed facilitation, space for relationships, and a willingness to relinquish control are critical to success. Participation takes time. But in return, it builds stronger systems, more meaningful relationships, and a healthier civic culture.

As the Deciding Together team reflected: “If participation was the norm, we would not call it participation anymore.”

Advice for those who want to start participatory grantmaking

If you are considering bringing participation into your funding or community practice, here are some lessons from York:

• Start with what you can: honesty and small steps matter;
• Be trauma-informed: systems and people hold trauma, you need to adapt to this and create healthy enabling conditions;
• Nurture radical trust among participants, by making clear to everyone that what they bring to the table is enough and be aware that it takes time;
• Plan for inclusion: reflect critically when it is lacking;
• Embrace discomfort: it often signals transformation.