Six reflections from the Financial Futures Fund’s first application round this year
In our most recent funding round, we received 191 applications from organisations tackling financial insecurity in a wide range of ways. That’s four times more than we’ve ever received in a single funding round. Although we’ll only be able to support a small number, the quality of applications has been striking – thoughtful, effective and ambitious.
Recognising the value of the insight contained across the range of organisations who applied to us, we wanted to share some reflections on the issues being raised, how organisations are responding to them, and the ways financial resilience is being understood and framed.
While nothing in these insights will come as a surprise, taken together, they offer a powerful snapshot of the sector’s understanding and approach to building financial resilience.
1. Financial resilience is about much more than money
One of the clearest messages from this funding round is that financial resilience is increasingly understood as systemic and relational – not simply a matter of budgeting skills or financial education.
Organisations are addressing a number of areas associated with financial insecurity, such as health, housing, work, abuse, caring responsibilities, discrimination and trauma. As a result, many proposals embed financial support into wider services, rather than treating it as a standalone intervention.
2. A growing focus on prevention, not crisis response
Many applicants are aspiring to and/or actively shifting towards earlier intervention at financial pressure points, such as: serious illness; transitions into adulthood or independent living; the start of caring responsibilities; or moving on from prison or homelessness services.
There is a sense that people are currently reaching financial support too late. Organisations reaching out to us want to help prevent crisis and support forward planning – they want to be about resilience, not just reactivity.
3. Money troubles are shaped by systems, not just individual circumstances
Applications emphasise that financial insecurity is strongly influenced by system design, discrimination and access barriers, which can limit people’s choices.
This framing supports a focus on communities facing structural exclusion, seeing financial resilience as an equity and rights issue, alongside individual capability.
4. Trust and community connection matter
Trust emerges as a critical factor in effective delivery. Many projects embed financial support within already‑trusted spaces – such as health settings, women’s centres, youth hubs, housing providers and community organisations.
This approach recognises that financial conversations might involve shame, fear or trauma, and that support works best when delivered by organisations people already know and trust.
5. Ambition to influence systems, but how can we scale what we already know works?
Alongside delivery, many applications demonstrate a strong commitment to learning, systems change and influence – spanning policy reform, market shaping with employers, infrastructure investment, and test‑and‑learn pilots.
At the same time, this surfaces an important challenge. There is no shortage of strong pilots and proof‑of‑concepts already in existence… so how can learning from what works travel further? How can we move beyond pockets of progress towards wider adoption, scale and lasting systemic impact?
6. Cautious experimentation with technology
There is increasing interest in digital tools and AI‑supported approaches, particularly to improve access and capacity. However, these are generally framed as complements to human support, not replacements, with clear awareness of safeguarding and inclusion risks.
What might this mean for funders?
Overall, this round signals a sector asking for:
- support to work that prevents crisis
- funding that enables integration across systems
- investment in learning, infrastructure and influence, not just delivery
- recognition that financial resilience is closely connected to wider social and economic inequalities
We will use this insight to reflect on our own ambitions and approaches as a funder – and remain open to learning how our funding practices might better support the kind of change our partners are striving for.