Tudor today. Not perfect and just(ly) driven to put money where power belongs.

Written by Raji Hunjan, CEO

The launch of our new brand and website today marks the beginning of the Tudor we are becoming. For me, it could not have been more of a personal test. It is a journey of leadership needing heavy doses of bravery, compassion, and humility in equal measures. At the same time, it could not have been more joyful. It is a practice of learning and leading with curiosity alongside some of the most incredible people and partner organisations. 

Tudor is working at pace as a strategic response to a world that is changing more rapidly than we could ever have imagined. Only this week we are learning about the transition to yet another leader of our country, as a consequence of political polarisation, economic volatility, and social divisions. It is nearly impossible for civil society to restore balance for communities in the ways we have previously relied upon. With political classes and big businesses creating stronger narratives to defend their own individual interests, it’s time for us to do the same in the interest of defending the social justice ambitions of the many.

Civil society is necessarily diverse so that its combined goals can create multiple forms of safety and new opportunities for all communities. Philanthropy has always made strategic choices about its funding relationships. Tudor’s commitment is to resource the part of civil society committed to collective action, putting power in the hands of communities, and demonstrating what it takes to move to systems that work for the many. Through the lens of racial justice, we are laying down the foundations of a new system, where all communities thrive – healthy and healed – holding economic and social power.  

We do not believe that any one organisation or leader can solve the problems communities are facing and that are not of their making. Communities are better served if we come together, and for this reason our strategy is to fund an ecosystem. It is on us to learn and to map the inter-relationships between the different organisations we fund and how we understand where to put our resources next. We prioritise long-term systemic change, over short-term outcomes. This financial year we are committing £25m to building an ecosystem. As Tudor has done over many years, this figure combines our income from our endowment as well as a portion of our capital. We are also working to leverage more by building relationships with those who share our vision of collective action and putting power into the hands of our communities. 

Tudor’s transformation sits on the gift of a racial justice remit from Tudor’s earlier stewards – both staff and trustees. In 2024, we began rebuilding internal culture and governance whilst a recruitment drive built the staff team and set of trustees we are today. We developed operational and people practices to underpin our commitment to working in emergence and acting collectively. We used this level of uncertainty and honesty to redesign our grant-making through the lens of learning at the same time as we started developing long-term strategy. We continue to analyse how we invest and deploy capital so that we can influence macro systems. I honestly could not be more grateful and in awe of all the people who have made up the “we” in Tudor’s recent history.

For me this continues to be a period of personal growth. One of my biggest learnings to date is that there are always multiple versions of what is true and we must build the muscle of leaning into complexity. Even in those moments when it feels so hard, we must resist the temptation to take it personally. Turning on ourselves, as well as taking it out on each other is a sure sign that the system is snapping back. When this happens, we must hold ourselves steady and continue with bravery, compassion, humility, and curiosity. Embracing change also means embracing the contradictions that will move us to the world as it should be. 

There is still a long way to go before we know what Tudor will become in the longer term. For now, we are all in. Our website has become the tool through which we practice transparency and learning out loud. As the world keeps changing, the practice of philanthropy must keep changing too, so that we are truly in service of community.

With deep respect and gratitude for everyone who has worked on this stage of our brand and communications. Many of our partner organisations contributed their stories, learning and visual images.

Alongside my brilliant internal team we have had the joy of working with: 

Chillcreate – Carolyne Hill-Otchere and Selicia Richards-Turney 
Hertech – Farrah Washash and Fran Cook 
And the always incredible, reliable and amazing Nina Kowalska 

We really did say in the original tender brief that we wanted to be partners and not clients. Now you know we meant it. You are all part of our ecosystem.