P&C research in Tower Hamlets can be independently funded through a grant, internally funded by an organisation, or a P&C research team can be commissioned by an organisation to undertake a research project on their behalf. Examples of these different approaches are described below:
• Independently funded: A research organisation secures funding for P&C research it wishes to undertake and then uses the research findings to develop recommendations for policymakers they wish to influence. For example, the Blueprint Architects group is funded by the National Lottery, with the goal of influencing the council’s decision-making on food and climate issues.
• Internally funded: A council department might coordinate a team of community researchers, with internal funding set aside for this team. Government organisations like the London Borough of Camden and the Greater London Authority’s Peer Outreach team facilitate P&C research in-house. The Community Insights Programme in Tower Hamlets was an in-house 13 programme funded by the Tower Hamlets Council who delivered projects on a range of topics to support the development and delivery of council services and initiatives.
• Commissioned: The Council or NHS commissions a research provider to conduct P&C research that feeds into a specific strategy or policy. An example is Toynbee Hall being commissioned by the Council to carry out community research for the Tower Hamlets Poverty Review.
Some funders in London have implemented participatory commissioning in their grant-giving processes, involving residents from the outset. Examples include Shift Design for Trust for London, Black Food Fund, and Thrive LDN’s Right to Thrive Fund.