About the Tenacious Awards

The Tenacious Awards are annual awards supporting campaigners to be more effective in achieving their goals.

The awards are made in July, with funding, engagement and support given over 12 months from September.

Each selected campaigner receives:

  • £20,000 in funding to help achieve a concrete campaigning goal

  • Mentoring and strategic support from campaigning experts at Breakthrough Impact tailored to the needs of the individual campaigner

  • Access to the Law for Change and Link for Change networks, connecting public interest lawyers, journalists and campaigners

  • Public recognition as a tenacious campaigner

The funding must be used to help achieve the campaign goal. Applicants will be asked to explain how the award would contribute to the effectiveness of their campaign.

Award funding will be disbursed taking the awardee’s requirements into account. Payments can be made directly or via a fiscal sponsorship option with the Social Change Nest.

  • Tenacious Awards are granted to:

    • Either an individual campaigner or an individual working for an organisation with a primary focus on campaigning

    • Someone with a proven track record of campaigning

    • Working most of their time on their campaign

    • UK resident working on a campaign focused on the UK

    • Someone who seeks to correct injustice, for the benefit of broader society, within a foreseeable time

    • Fulfils a charitable purpose as described by the relevant legislation

    • A work in progress, where there is more to be done to achieve a specific goal

    • This funding is likely to make a difference to their campaign.

  • We’re committed to supporting campaigners across any cause area where there is a manifest injustice, and the campaigner has a clear aim and concrete goal. Our interests include:

    • Women and girls

    • Poverty and welfare

    • Climate and the environment

    • Human rights

    • Corporate behaviour and abuse/misuse of power

    These themes are not exclusive but rather offer insight into our interests.

  • Tenacious campaigners use a mixture of methods and approaches to achieve their campaigning goals.

    These could range from legal action, policy influencing, direct action, social media and digital campaigning and the mobilisation of the public around a specific injustice. We’re not prescriptive and interested in seeing any variety of approaches reflected in applicants’ campaign strategies.

  • Online nominations will be invited from our network of trusted associates with campaigning experience. Campaigners wishing to be considered will need to be nominated.

    • Closing date for nominations: 31st May 2024

    • Closing date for selected nominees to complete online application form: 30th June 2024

    • Selected finalists to attend an online interview: Mid July

    • Selection of Tenacious 2024 campaigners: End July

    • Due diligence and any contractual matters: July / August

    • Launch event: 25th September 2024

  • Our cohort of 2024 Tenacious awardees is selected by an expert panel considering the following criteria:

    • Track record of the campaigner

    • Issue they are seeking to address

    • Clarity about the specific goal they are seeking to achieve

    • Likelihood of achieving their goal

    • Proposed use of Tenacious funding and support

  • The awardees will commit to:

    • Continue working on the identified campaign issue for 12 months from the date of the award.

    • Participate in an introductory meeting in London.

    • Provide feedback via a lightweight reporting structure.

    • Co-operate with The Tenacious Awards to publicise their awards including individual profiles and their campaigns (unless specifically agreed otherwise).