Programme Overview
The Blooming programme was created as an experimental grant-giving initiative in 2020, combining microgrants, capacity building, and storytelling with a relational, long-term approach. It aimed to empower grassroots communities that prototype regenerative economies benefitting people and the planet.
Over its initial two years, Blooming evolved from an experiment into a structured project-focused programme focused on mutual learning with nature-based, community-led initiatives.
The ultimate vision of Blooming was to build resilience by blending financial resources, trust, and meaningful relationships among changemakers dedicated to planetary regeneration. Through this, Blooming worked to “fund the gaps,” addressing needs often overlooked by traditional funding approaches.
Over the course of three years, we worked with five projects, during which the fellows played a vital role in shaping and refining our methodology.
Why We Discontinued Blooming
While the programme achieved successes, we realised that focusing exclusively on women as individuals rather than funding projects allowed us to align more deeply with our mission to “fund the gaps”.
Additionally, the highly personalised and relational nature of the programme, though impactful, proved to be resource-intensive and less scalable — therefore not the most efficient use of funds to support a larger number of people.
We also recognised that aligned accelerator programmes with a dedicated, holistic approach were already delivering excellent support at scale. By stepping back, we could allow these initiatives to flourish, while reorienting our focus on creating direct, meaningful relationships with individual women changemakers.
We decided to conclude the programme with a final year of “exit grants” to support the fellows as they transition to the next phase of their journeys.
Regenerosity's launch of their own accelerator programme — Blossom — is an outcome and success story of our own Blooming initiative. It represents the seeds of our work spreading outward, directly influencing other organisations better suited to operate and expand this type of programme; an impact made possible through our catalytic £50k grant to Regenerosity.
Key Lessons Learnt
Clarifying Impact Goals
Our original goal of helping organisations become “more resilient” lacked specificity, creating uncertainty for both us and the groups we supported. This highlighted the need for clearer objectives.
Resource Limitations
Supporting multiple groups holistically is a full-time effort, requiring dedicated skills and focus. Trying to juggle this alongside other programmes compromised the quality of experience.
Storytelling Catalyses Growth
High-quality storytelling, particularly the impactful videos created for Frente Alimenta and Família Chegados, demonstrated how sharing these stories increases reach and further funding opportunities for regenerative projects.
The Power of Personalised Mentoring
Tailored support addressing each group's specific needs proved essential to their growth and impact, reinforcing the importance of bespoke guidance in grantmaking.
In-Person Connection Matters
The lack of in-person meetings made it challenging to foster deeper bonds among participating groups. Face-to-face interaction would have strengthened collaboration and shared learning.
Connection Beyond the Programme
Although Blooming has ended, relationships with participants remain strong. Many continue to engage with us, such as joining our annual gatherings — highlighting that we can still support and be in relationship outside of the programme.
While Blooming’s chapter has closed, its insights continue to shape our approach. Through reflection and recalibration, we remain committed to supporting regenerative initiatives that prioritise care, trust, and long-term transformation.