Funding community organising: diversifying sources, democratising civil society

This chapter recognises the variety, complexity, and contested politics of community organising — a practice that ranges from consensus-based community building to more conflict-oriented grassroots organising confronting oppression. It focuses on the need for movement-like organising for economic and social justice at the local level and beyond. The chapter makes the case that an over-reliance on progressive philanthropic sources has resulted in the underfunding of community organising. It has also contributed to the depoliticisation of ‘civil society’ and has obscured the potential role the state can play in achieving egalitarian social change. The chapter argues that it is time to diversify funding sources for community organising and to re-evaluate debates in the field about the limits and difficulties associated with state funding.