What We Did
The Rowan Trust was one of the most significant learning experiences behind the development of NB Social Justice Studio. It brought together lessons gathered over many years working in youth work, community development, LGBTQ+ organising, philanthropy, campaigning, research and the arts. It provided an opportunity to work alongside youth workers, artists, activists, funders, CEOs, community organisers and people responding directly to injustice in their communities.
Alongside providing unrestricted funding to many of Ireland’s leading social justice organisations, the Trust became increasingly interested in how philanthropy could respond more quickly to emerging challenges and opportunities.
At the time, communities across Ireland were dealing with growing racism, far-right activity, attacks on LGBTQ+ communities, migrant injustice and increasing pressure on young people. We repeatedly heard that organisations and communities often did not need large grants. They needed modest amounts of funding, delivered quickly, through processes that respected their time and experience.
Working with partners including INAR, NYCI, Dublin Pride and Create, we helped develop a series of rapid-response and cultural-activism funds designed to meet those needs. Each fund was shaped by the knowledge and experience of the organisations involved. Rather than applying a single model, we worked with partners to develop approaches that reflected their communities, priorities and ways of working.
The funds supported anti-racism initiatives, youth-led organising, local Pride events, artist-led projects and new cultural spaces. More than 40 Pride events outside Ireland’s major cities received support, alongside a wide range of justice-focused projects and emerging LGBTQ+ cultural initiatives. Many recipients had never previously received philanthropic funding.
What We Learned
One of the strongest lessons from this work was that funding is never just about money. Every part of a funding process sends a signal about trust, power and whose knowledge is recognised. The language used in application forms, the evidence requested, who makes decisions and how quickly support can be provided all influence people’s experience of funding.
The work also highlighted the importance of flexibility. Communities and organisations often face challenges that do not fit neatly into annual funding cycles or standard grant programmes. Responsive funding can help groups act quickly, test new ideas and respond to changing circumstances.
We also saw the value of supporting social change at different levels. Long-term core funding helped organisations build stability and capacity, while rapid-response and cultural funds allowed communities to respond, organise, experiment and create.
Working Together
One of the most rewarding aspects of this work was the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse range of partners.
We learned from youth workers supporting young people through difficult circumstances. We learned from artists creating new ways for communities to tell stories and imagine alternatives. We learned from campaigners responding to fast-moving political challenges and from organisational leaders balancing immediate pressures with long-term goals. We also learned from funders willing to question established approaches and explore new ways of sharing resources and decision-making.
Much of our current work on philanthropy, democracy, equality and social change grows directly from these experiences.
The Rowan Trust provided a unique opportunity to see how different parts of the social change ecosystem connect with one another and how funding, relationships, leadership and community action interact in practice. It deepened our understanding of how change happens, where systems support people and where they create unnecessary barriers.
It also reinforced an approach that continues to guide our work today: listen closely, value community knowledge, keep processes proportionate, and design systems around the realities of people’s lives. These lessons continue to inform how we support funders, organisations and movements seeking to build fairer, more inclusive and more democratic communities.
