Gutting the Foundation – Declining Funding for the United Kingdom’s Equalities Sector Infrastructure Organisations Between 2020 and 2024

Equity and justice infrastructure organisations (EJIOs) provide specialist infrastructure organisations that provide infrastructure support to equalities and justice sector organisations (EJOs). Yet, little is known about their scale or funding. This study offers the first UK-wide mapping and financial analysis of EJIOs between 2020 and 2024, drawing on regulatory data and 42 stakeholder interviews. This paper adds to a growing body of literature on intermediary or infrastructure organisations and capacity building for the equalities sector, which has real-life implications for philanthropic institutions which are interested in advancing UK’s social equality and justice by funding a strong sector-specific foundation.