In 2017, I embarked on a journey at the National Lottery Community Fund (then known as the Big Lottery Fund) to set up a partnership team.
Our focus was clear: promote collaboration over competition within the voluntary sector and explore innovative ways to reach communities through collective efforts.
My tenure at the National Lottery Community Fund also sought to shift the needle on youth engagement and co-design within the organisation and, subsequently, bring together Black-led organisations in a co-design process that became the Phoenix Fund.
These pieces of work have not been without their own challenges and sometimes our biggest challenge has been with us rather than with others. But these transformative experiences marked a shift from traditional grant-making to a more participatory and inclusive model.
Strategy renewal
In 2020, I ventured into the international grant-making landscape but found myself drawn back to the National Lottery Community Fund earlier this year. Why? Because of a simple but powerful idea: “it starts with community”.
This concept is at the heart of our strategy renewal and holds the potential for a paradigm shift within the Fund. It has the power to positively shape our organisation’s future and bring those historically distanced from our funding into view as we work hand in hand with them.
With this in mind, and as we approach the National Lottery’s 30th-anniversary year, I am honoured and excited to announce the National Lottery’s first-ever innovation unit launching in January 2024.
The innovation unit is an integral part of our new strategy. It’s a dedicated space within the Fund where innovation takes centre stage. Picture it as a laboratory of ideas, a place where we will experiment, learn, and grow.
Culture change
The innovation unit operates with a dual perspective.
Externally, we listen, learn, test, and support new ideas and approaches to positively impact communities.
We aim to lead in innovation within the community and charity sector by nurturing innovative projects. This involves viewing innovation through an equity lens and co-designing various aspects of our future provision alongside the broader community.
Internally, the innovation unit is about adapting our practices, systems, and ways of working to make innovation a fundamental part of our culture.
It’s about making innovation business as usual. We are committed to embedding innovation in our everyday operations, from grant-making to community engagement, and this shift requires a change in our organisational culture.
Defining innovation
We see social innovation as a driving force for change, aligning with the OECD’s definition: “The design and implementation of new solutions that imply conceptual, process, product, or organisational change, which ultimately aims to improve the welfare and well-being of individuals and communities.” Innovation enables us to address problems differently.
Innovation can occur at any stage in the funding cycle. It affects how we identify and engage with communities in need, design our support programs, and implement our “more than a funder” approach. From a systemic perspective, innovation can emerge within the various environments in which we, our grantees, and partners operate.
Our success here will be measured by the tangible impact it has on communities. It will help us answer critical questions aligned with “it starts with community”. How can we support community-led missions with a sharper equity lens? How can we better meet communities where they are and integrate equity into our funding approach from the very beginning?
A fundamental organisational shift
Many changes have occurred since I was last at the National Lottery, and working alongside the chief executive and the senior executive team is proving to be a rewarding challenge. This environment is ideal for reimagining our work, objectives, and the skill set needed to achieve our broader goals. The innovation unit is a mix of internal and external expertise, bringing diverse perspectives and thematic knowledge to the innovation process.
Though pockets of innovation have existed throughout the organisation, the innovation unit provides a dedicated space within the National Lottery Community Fund to nurture innovative ideas, thinking, and projects.
We’ve embarked on a recruitment drive to bring in fresh talent and ideas to fuel our innovation journey. The innovation unit is not just a department; it represents a fundamental organisational shift. We are looking for individuals passionate about innovation, community empowerment, and equity — individuals ready to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what's possible. If that sounds like you, keep an eye out for vacancies on our website.
The innovation unit marks a significant milestone in our journey towards shaping a more innovative, equitable, and community-centred future and as such I would like to thank the many organisations and amazing individuals working across a number of sectors that gave us their time to ensure that this wasn’t our vision but the vision of those we serve. The innovation group steered us and we will honour their input by creating a similar group to sit alongside the innovation unit during this journey.
Together, we can make a positive impact and create a ripple effect of change, and it all starts with community.
Related Articles
