Power to Prosper is an ambitious three-year programme focused on dismantling the root causes of poverty, inequality and problem debt in the UK.
It is an ambitious programme that seeks to shift the balance of power in our political and economic systems to generate the conditions in which everyone can thrive.
We start from a shared understanding that the existing status quo cannot deliver these outcomes. We know that the relationship between poverty and problem debt is not simple, and that debt is a symptom of a much wider issue. Our economy has been shaped so that it works for corporate
power and wealthy elites, creating financial systems that produce deep inequality which hits certain groups the worst. The root causes of the cost of living crisis are built into our economic systems, which need urgent and fundamental change.
Power to Prosper brings together community organisers, researchers, campaigners and funders to shift power, reframe narratives and build solutions rooted in lived experience.
We seek to:
Build collective power
We understand that those worst impacted by these issues must be at the centre of the change we need, which can only be achieved by building collective power. We support local organisations and communities to organise, lead, and mobilise for change through regional hubs that act as anchors for community action.
Transform narratives
Shift resources to communities
Build knowledge
We expose how poverty and debt are racialised, systemic, and rooted in historic and global inequalities. We see these as issues of power and resource – and work to build both in our communities. By co-creating research and solutions, we identify root causes, shift harmful narratives, and develop approaches that truly serve our communities.
Who we work with
Impacted communities
We centre people who are directly affected by poverty and debt – especially communities of colour, single parent families and households with a disabled member. These communities face multiple, overlapping forms of disadvantage, and their lived experiences are essential to shaping meaningful solutions.
Grassroots organisations
Advocacy organisations
Funders
Power to Prosper is run jointly by the Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading racial justice think tank and the New Economics Foundation, which works with people igniting change from below and combines this with rigorous research to fight for change at the top. The programme is funded by Oak Foundation, which, through its grant-making, supports others to make the world a safer, fairer, and more sustainable place to live.
Our Team
The Power To Prosper team is led by members of the Runnymede Trust and the New Economics Foundation, supported by a wider group of partners and associates. Together, they bring a powerful mix of community insight, campaign experience, and strategic vision to tackle racialised poverty and financial injustice across the UK.
Hub Partners
Power to Prosper operates through its regional hubs in Nottingham, Manchester, Lambeth, and Newham to provide space for Black and racially minoritised communities to bring learnings from their lived experience to create solutions that challenge foundational poverty and debt issues. The Power to Prosper hubs have been designed to create a space for strategic thinking for future leaders to design solutions and influence policy collectively. A grassroots organisation leads each hub and is an incubator for organising, leadership development, and advocacy. Power to Prosper plans to expand its reach to Birmingham and Glasgow in late 2025.
Himmah
Himmah is a social justice organisation based in Nottingham. From running the city’s largest independent food bank to serving weekly hot meals and supplying school uniforms to families in need, Himmah combines hands-on support with campaigning – tackling food poverty, racism and educational inequalities.
Money A+E
Money A+E is an award-winning social enterprise providing money advice and education to disadvantaged groups, communities of colour, and young people. Their services include money workshops, mentoring programmes, and financial coaching, all aimed at increasing financial resilience and wellbeing.
Loughborough Community Centre at Max Roach
Founded in 1981 by local residents as a legacy of community organising following the Brixton uprisings. LCC delivers programmes that tackle poverty and inequality – supporting children, young people and families with services designed to build confidence, connection, and long-term opportunity.
Mama Health and Poverty Partnership
Mama Health & Poverty Partnership (MHaPP) is a collective of Black African women-led organisations creating community-rooted solutions to systemic inequality. Through culturally sensitive, people-centred services, MHaPP supports women and girls to navigate the UK’s social and healthcare systems, access the support they need, and find belonging.
Wider Coalition Partners
The Power to Prosper coalition comprises grassroots organisations, funders, and advocacy groups to create a national movement. This coalition complements our hubs by amplifying campaigns, influencing policy, and shaping systemic change at a broader scale, driving collective action that endures beyond individual projects.
