News - Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust

January 12, 2022May 5, 2022

SMK Awards 2022: Nominations OPEN!

Each year, the Shelia McKechnie Foundation celebrates the best campaigns and campaigners with their SMK National Campaigner Awards. Their aim is to recognise and honour those who have made change happen – most effectively, creatively and courageously.

That change might be in law or policy; it might be in attitudes, social norms or behaviour; it could be in how services are provided, or in the protection of a service or asset. A campaign could be aimed at righting a wrong, or holding a body to account. Entries can be local or national. And they might be nominating an individual, a movement, an organisation or a coalition.

What all entries will have in common is the determination to secure a specific change that will make things better – whether for an individual, a local neighbourhood or for every single one of us.

JRRT is proud to sponsor the David & Goliath category at the SMK Awards. It celebrates individuals or small campaign groups that take on much bigger organisations and challenge vested power. Our sponsorship is made in memory of our friend and former Director, Lord David Shutt.

Find out more about all nine categories in the 2022 Awards here

And get your nominations in by 4 February 2022!

July 12, 2021March 19, 2024

JRRT: Accredited Living Wage Funder

The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust is proud to be recently accredited as a Living Wage Funder. We have joined more than 50 other funders in committing to tackle low pay by championing the real Living Wage.

The real Living Wage is a voluntary, hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. It is currently calculated as £12 per hour UK-wide and £13.15 per hour in London (2024 figures).

Ranging from local authorities to charitable trusts and foundations, corporate, science and capital funders, Living Wage Funders are working hard to tackle social injustice and poverty.

As part of our commitment, we encourage our grantees to ensure that all posts which are wholly or partially funded by us pay the real Living Wage (unless there are particular reasons for this not to happen). And we engage with our applicants early in the grant application process to ask them to cost up their proposals accordingly.

Fiona Weir, JRRT CEO said, “JRRT’s accreditation as a Living Wage Funder reflects our core values. As a Trust, we support organisations seeking to address imbalances of power; becoming a Living Wage Funder and encouraging all our grantees to pay the real Living Wage is a commitment that we are proud to promote.”

Organisations do not need to be accredited Living Wage Employers to apply to JRRT, but we do encourage organisations to consider whether this is a possibility for them. You can find out more about the scheme, including how to apply, on the Living Wage Foundation website.

May 26, 2021May 26, 2021

Introducing: Involve and the Network for Democracy

JRRT is today announcing that it has agreed a three-year grant award of £350,000 to Involve to set up a Democracy Network, which includes a contribution of £50,000 from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) to the first year of this new initiative.

In 2020, we commissioned Networking for Democracy, an analysis of sector needs and perspectives. It concludes that building better connections within and outside the sector is a priority capacity building need; and that there is a good case and support for building a “network”.

Following on from this work, and having reached out to groups and individuals working in the democracy space to craft a Call for Proposals, we are thrilled to announce that Involve has been commissioned to take forward work on incubating, expanding and coordinating a Network for Democracy over the next three years.

Involve is the UK’s public participation charity with a vision of a more vibrant democracy, with people at the heart of decision-making. They recognise that the democracy sector is made up of a great diversity of groups and organisations across the country. Work to develop the network will begin from June, with three aims in mind:

Connecting: Developing a trusted, strong, diverse and well-functioning democracy network, with high engagement in network activities and an expanding reach to new groups;
Information sharing and capacity building: Increasing the knowledge, skills, resources and impact of members; and,
Vision and influence: Expanding the collective influence of the network and its members, including receiving increased media and political attention.

Tim Hughes from Involve explains: “The initial focus of activities will be on co-developing the network with people from across the democracy sector and exploring how the network can help to support and boost the impact of existing initiatives. Ultimately, we want to build a broad and diverse coalition of people passionate about democracy that reaches far and wide across the country, and enables us to collectively shape our democratic future.”

Fiona Weir, CEO of JRRT, says: “The growing collaboration across the democracy sector is encouraging and vital given the multiple and serious challenges to democracy today. JRRT is making a multi-year commitment to funding a Democracy Network to strengthen efforts in this space.

We were impressed by Involve’s commitment to an open and co-creative approach that will build trust and sustain collaboration, alongside their grasp of how a network could add value to existing initiatives, building the collective power and influence of the sector.”

Katharine Knox, JRCT Power and Accountability Programme Manager says: “We are delighted to be supporting the establishment of this new initiative to build collaboration in the democracy sector. The challenges we are facing in relation to democratic accountability at this time in the UK warrant supporting the sector to pull together to maximise information sharing, coordination and connections to increase the sector’s influence. We look forward to working with JRRT and Involve in the year ahead.”

Get involved

To stay in touch with the Democracy Network and help to shape its development, please sign up here.

Or get in touch via DemocracyNetwork@involve.org.uk

Regular updates on the activities and events of the Network for Democracy can be seen in the free monthly sector newsletter, Democracy Action. Subscribe here today!

May 18, 2021December 7, 2022

SMK Awards: David & Goliath winner 2021!

JRRT is proud to sponsor the David & Goliath Award at the SMK Awards, which celebrates individuals or small campaign groups that take on much bigger organisations and challenge vested power.

And the 2021 winner has now been announced at a virtual ceremony…

Congratulations to the UK Overseas Fossil Fuels Campaign!

The UK Overseas Fossil Fuel Campaign, led by a small number of campaigners from a diverse range of organisations, ‘used every tool in the box’ to bring taxpayer funding of fossil fuels to an end. The campaign evolved into a well-run coalition effort, which helped set a new global standard for climate action.

For decades, the UK provided billions in taxpayers’ money for fossil fuel projects all over the world. The UK taxpayer has helped support coal mines in Russia, oil refineries in Bahrain and gas projects in war-torn Mozambique. This financial support has made climate change worse, and locked developing countries into fossil fuel use instead of moving towards clean energy.

By lobbying MPs, staging noisy protests, publishing media-friendly investigations, and allying with communities affected by UK-funded projects, the campaign turned a highly technical issue into a simple message that resonated across the political spectrum – ‘stop funding fossil fuels overseas’.

In December last year, the Government announced that all taxpayer support for fossil fuel projects overseas would end. The UK is the first major country to make this commitment and campaigners predicted that if the UK moved first other countries would follow. Within weeks, it was announced that the new Biden administration would follow the UK and end their overseas fossil fuel support. Several EU countries are known to be planning similar moves. The campaign has started a domino effect.

Adam McGibbon, campaign coordinator, says: “It’s really exciting to have won the David & Goliath Award! In just three years, stopping the UK Government’s multi-billion taxpayer finance for fossil fuels overseas moved from being an ‘impossible’ idea to a reality. This was a campaign run on a shoestring budget, but with a massive global impact. It’s been really encouraging to hear about other governments who are set to follow the UK’s lead. The fossil fuel era is ending – this campaign hopefully will help bring that end date a little closer.”

Organisations involved in the campaign are Global Witness, E3G, Tearfund, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth (EWNI), Greenpeace, Bretton Woods Project, Oil Change International and Global Justice Now.

Visit www.smk.org.uk/awards for more details …

And watch the full 2021 Award ceremony below

April 29, 2021December 7, 2022

Lord Trevor Smith: In memoriam

It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of Lord Trevor Smith, who served as a director of JRRT from 1975 until 2006, acting as Chair from 1987 until 1999.

During his tenure, the focus of the Trust was firmly turned towards issues of constitutional change and democratic reform, and it was under his leadership that the Trust changed its name from the Joseph Rowntree Social Services Trust to the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust. The Trust was an early supporter of Charter 88; launched in the New Statesman, the Charter advocated for a programme of institutional change and constitutional reforms in the areas of devolution, human rights, and freedom of information. A further important initiative instigated by Trevor, was the State of the Nation opinion polls, the first of which was taken in March 1991. The polls gathered information on public attitudes to constitutional reform and other Trust concerns. Trevor was also central in the establishment of Democratic Audit, a research body at Essex University, which audited the democratic performance of the British constitution.

Trevor made full use of his eloquence and powers of persuasion to engage the Trust in much more proactive political activity, including helping fund the Scottish Constitutional Convention which started the inexorable movement towards setting up the Scottish Parliament. He was also instrumental in securing support for the New Statesman at a time when it could have gone out of existence.

Outside of the Trust, Trevor was an esteemed political scientist with academic posts at the University of Exeter, the University of Hull, and Queen Mary College at the University of London, before taking up the appointment of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster (1991-1999), where he was heavily involved in the Northern Ireland peace process, taking a non-sectarian role. He was a long-standing member of the Liberal Party (and later, the Liberal Democrats). Aged 22, he contested the 1959 General Election for the Liberal Party in West Lewisham; he was the youngest candidate of any party that year.

Trevor was knighted “for services to higher education” in 1996 and became a working Liberal Democrat peer in 1997. He was spokesman in the House on Northern Ireland and constitutional affairs.

Trevor had a formidable political brain, unusually combining academic prowess with a strong grasp of practical, campaigning politics. His steadfast dedication, deep knowledge and friendship will be sorely missed by all who knew him, as will his acerbic wit. Here at the Trust, we are all grateful for his immense contributions to our work, and our continued focus on political and democratic reform is testament to his energy and determination to make a real difference.

April 28, 2021December 7, 2022

SMK Awards 2021: Shortlist announced

Each year, the Shelia McKechnie Foundation (SMK) celebrates the best campaigns and campaigners in their annual National Campaigner Awards. SMK’s interest is in finding those who have made change happen – most effectively, creatively and courageously.

The shortlists for the 2021 Awards have now been announced.

JRRT is proud to sponsor the David & Goliath Award, which celebrates individuals or small campaign groups that take on much bigger organisations and challenge vested power.

This year’s shortlisted nominees are:

What everyone who has been shortlisted will have in common is the determination to secure a specific change that will make things better – whether for an individual, a local neighbourhood or for every single one of us.

Put on your glad rags, everyone’s invited!

The SMK Campaigner Awards are a time when the whole campaign community can come together. SMK believes that, especially through the pandemic, it’s crucial that we continue to recognise and celebrate the amazing campaigns, people, and teams who have worked so hard to make change happen.

In 2020, SMK streamed the Awards on YouTube which meant everyone could join in. Over 1,600 of you did making the 2020 SMK National Campaigner Awards the biggest yet. Watch it here.

For 2021, the awards will continue to be streamed virtually on Thursday 13 May 2021 at 4pm. Hold the date and for more information visit here.

April 15, 2021May 2, 2024

A statement from JRRT on the origins of our endowments

For more than a century, the JRRT Board and staff have been inspired by Joseph Rowntree’s pioneering social reforms in York and determination to get to the heart of the underlying causes of injustice and inequality.

Last year, the Black Lives Matters protests and the disproportionate impact of the COVID pandemic led to a renewed focus on racial injustice and inequalities and prompted us to reflect on our history and on the origins of our endowments, something we should have done earlier.

Today, the Rowntree Society is publishing findings – here – of a preliminary research project setting out connections between the Rowntree Company and systems and enslavement and forced labour. The three Trusts Joseph Rowntree set up in 1904 are each publishing statements in response:

We are deeply sorry that the origins of our endowments are rooted in practices that have caused suffering and enduring harm.

We find ourselves at the start of a journey to build a new legacy, one that embeds race equality within our work to address political inequality. We are committed to increasing the racial diversity of our organisations, governance and networks, and to ensuring our grant making and programmes do more to tackle the underlying causes of racial injustice and political inequality today. We don’t yet know what this will look like or how to build the connections we will need. We know that listening to the voices of black and minority ethnic people must shape this work and that we need to be open to challenge.

As a small first step we are publishing an audit of our grants, which you can see here. Transparency will enable us to be accountable for the progress we make.

Fiona Weir

Chief Executive, JRRT

January 19, 2021January 19, 2021

UK Democracy Map

JRRT’s work is driven by a concern that the ongoing erosion of trust in the political class and our democratic institutions is creating a moment of crisis for democracy. For a long time, JRRT has been interested in getting a better understanding of who is working on democracy issues and how.

One of the top priorities from the survey we conducted of our grantees last year was a better understanding of who was campaigning on what democracy issues. With that in mind, we commissioned Koreo to create the UK Democracy Map. This exciting initiative is intended to assist those working or campaigning on democracy, by helping people find each other, making their work more visible and promoting collaboration and information-sharing. Please share it far and wide and encourage those who work on democracy to add their details.

There is a taxonomy to draw on, to help describe work on democracy. This was created following Koreo’s discussions with many democracy campaigners. There is also a report Mapping the Democracy Movement, describing how the map was developed.

Developing the map

We are very keen to see the UK Democracy Map grow as a response to the needs of the sector.

Whether you are a funder, think tank, academic institution, single-issue campaign, empowering young people through political and media literacy, seeking to improve the digital public space, encouraging more people to get involved in decision-making, or working on one of the many other aspects of democracy, please do add yourself to the map.

As you can see, democracy work comes in all shapes and sizes, not all of them obvious. Part of the job of the map is to help people realise they are not alone in wanting people to be able to take better and more informed decisions about their lives, who represents us, and the way our communities are governed.

If you have thoughts on how the map can be refined, improved and promoted, or simply wish to discuss the work of your organisation with JRRT, please get in touch.

Photo by Leah Kelley from Pexels

January 19, 2021April 12, 2021

SMK Campaigner Awards 2021 – nominations are now open!

Each year, The Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) celebrates the best campaigns and campaigners through their prestigious SMK Campaigner Awards. Their interest is in finding those who have made change happen – most effectively, creatively and courageously.

What all entries will have in common is the determination to secure a specific change that will make things better – whether for an individual, a local neighbourhood or for every single one of us.

Nominations close on Tuesday 2 February – make yours here!

January 14, 2021April 12, 2021

Call for Proposals, a democracy network

“One of the most effective ways to support [democracy] work is to connect the efforts of those pursuing such goals.”

JRRT is funding a number of initiatives to strengthen the democracy sector. Last year we commissioned Networking for Democracy, an analysis of sector needs and perspectives. It concludes that building better connections within and outside the sector is a priority capacity building need; and that there is a good case and support for building a “network”.

Call for Proposals now open!

The JRRT Board has made a commitment to fund a network and is pleased to open our Call for Proposals. The process is open to both organisations and individuals.

Please submit your proposal by Monday 22 February 2021 to info@jrrt.org.uk

Full information on the details required within your proposal can be found here

Downloads and useful links

Networking for Democracy

Democracy Action – the newsletter about action for democracy; engaging, collaborating, influencing, learning, sharing and inspiring.

Funding a democracy network – insights from a JRRT meeting with 50 democracy organisations, campaigners, and academics to discuss the need for – and purpose of – a democracy network.

Call for Proposals

Category: News