Hidden Wiring Collective

The Hidden Wiring Collective (HWC) supports other social movement and community groups with the infrastructure they need to operate and sustain themselves, in ways that are aligned with their values. It has come together to facilitate long-term funding to support HW groups, who are often overlooked by foundations and unable to access other grant funding.

The HWC currently includes:

There are a range of funders currently involved in the work to create a Hidden Wiring Fund. It is in the early development stages, but the current development budget has been provided by Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, with fiscal hosting and wider development support from Thirty Percy.

The group's current definition of 'social movement hidden wiring' is:

"the long-term value-led group support systems that build collective power, resilience, skills and connections across movements and communities to work together effectively and drive social change. Hidden Wiring groups are embedded in movements and communities, grounding the work in trust and deep understanding of the contexts they support, rather than ‘outside expertise.’

This may include groups which provide anti-oppressive support in areas such as: HR and governance, law, translation, learning/research, accountancy, technology, childcare, convening/collaboration, food provision, wellbeing, training, facilitation and mediation - to build collective power and to be effective over the long term. 

Social movement Hidden Wiring groups embody radical, liberatory values, often acting as testbeds for radical and new ways of organising, which they then are able to share more widely. Without access to these kinds of support, many smaller groups cannot survive, particularly in more hostile political environments and uncertain economic times."