Migration Exchange

Migration Exchange was established in 2010 by a group of independent funders.  These funders came together to explore and address issues of public attitudes and migration through their grant making, forming an informal network called Changing Minds.   Now known as Migration Exchange, and hosted by Global Dialogue since 2015, the network aims to work together to improve the lives of migrants and receiving communities in the UK by informing public debate on migration and creating welcoming communities.  It is independent and not party political.

Migration Exchange activities include commissioning analysis to support funders and organisations to take effective action on shared concerns; supporting bold ventures where aligning grants enables activity to take place at scale or increases the potential for success; and using the convening power of funders to support, connect and strengthen good work.

Migration Exchange priorities to 2020 are to:

  • Improve understanding of public attitudes on migration and how they relate to politics, policy and communities.
  • Use this knowledge, locally and nationally, to improve accuracy and depth of conversations about migration, integration and identity
  • Develop strong networks that forge alliances and mobilise to create welcoming and thriving communities for all
  • Promote an immigration system that treats people with dignity and respect, is fair to both migrants and established residents, and which has public confidence and consent
  • Encourage and enable collaboration between funders, where this increases impact of the work.

The broad goals are:

  • to ensure accuracy and depth in the debate on national identity, integration, and immigration;
  • to promote an effective and humane immigration system that treats people with dignity and respect, is fair to both migrants and established residents, and which has public confidence and consent;
  • to encourage a thriving society where all people, including immigrants, are treated fairly, participate and make a contribution in their community, prosper and succeed and create economic, social and cultural benefits for the UK.

Individual grants by the funders involved in this initiative may be directed to supporting some or all of the broad goals or may be complementary to them.

For a guide to the type of work foundations are interested in supporting in this area, it is worth looking at some of the grants that have been made by member organisations, in order to further one or more of the group’s stated aims. This includes grants to the Migration ObservatoryBritish FutureMigrants Rights Network, the University of Manchester and Women for Refugee Women.

Funders involved in Migration Exchange as well as the Barrow Cadbury Trust, include the Esmée Fairbairn FoundationJoseph Rowntree Charitable TrustMigration FoundationOak FoundationOpen Society FoundationsPaul Hamlyn FoundationSigrid Rausing TrustTrust for London, and Unbound PhilanthropyThe Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund was also involved until its closure.

The initiative is hosted by Global Dialogue.