Beyond the Cliff Edge: A Call for Action and Equity in London’s Growth

10 Mar

Last week, the London Mayor’s Office released the London Growth Plan, laying out a vision for a more inclusive and economically vibrant city. It speaks of productivity, workforce diversity, business support, and reducing economic inactivity, yet fails to directly address the systemic barriers that continue to hinder Black-led organisations and communities in London.

At Do it Now Now, we welcome the Growth Plan’s ambition, but we know that without direct investment in Black-led organisations and real structural change, these promises risk becoming yet another set of missed opportunities. That’s why we’ve built London Now Now (LNN)—our action-driven strategy to empower 30,000 Black Londoners by 2030. LNN ensures that Black-led social enterprises, charities, and entrepreneurs are not just included but positioned as key drivers of London’s economic success.

The London Growth Plan claims to support underrepresented communities, but without targeted strategies for funding equity, leadership development, and long-term financial sustainability, Black-led organisations will remain locked out of decision-making spaces, forced to operate on unstable funding, and unable to scale their impact in a way that truly serves their communities.

This is where London Now Now steps in.

Where the London Growth Plan Falls Short

While the London Growth Plan talks about economic participation and small business growth, it does not address the deeper, structural inequities that Black-led organisations have been fighting against for decades. Key areas where the plan falls short include:

1. A Lack of Targeted Investment in Black-led Organisations

The Growth Plan highlights support for small businesses, but it does not commit to funding Black-led social enterprises and charities that are essential to economic resilience in Black communities. Black-led organisations continue to receive disproportionately low levels of funding, yet there is no plan to correct this imbalance through ring-fenced investment or participatory grant-making processes.

2. Missing Strategies for Equitable Capacity Building

The plan promotes innovation, digital transformation, and business scaling, but it ignores the reality that Black-led organisations often lack access to the necessary infrastructure, training, and networks to fully benefit from these opportunities. Without targeted investment in governance, financial literacy, and long-term planning, Black-led businesses and charities will remain under-supported and undervalued.

3. Limited Focus on Community Wealth and Grassroots Leadership

While the Growth Plan speaks broadly about economic inclusion, it does not prioritise community wealth-building strategies that directly benefit Black-led initiatives. Moreover, it does not commit to embedding Black leadership into London’s economic governance structures, meaning Black-led organisations will continue to be consulted but not empowered to shape policy and funding decisions.

4. Systemic Barriers to Participation in Policymaking

The Growth Plan highlights collaboration between businesses and government, yet it does not address the historic and ongoing exclusion of Black-led organisations from key decision-making spaces. If Black communities are not at the table when economic strategies are being developed, then those strategies will continue to reinforce existing inequities.

How London Now Now Bridges These Gaps

London Now Now is not a response—it is a solution. Our strategy is built by and for Black-led organisations to ensure they have the resources, recognition, and representation needed to thrive. Through four key pillars, LNN provides the support that the London Growth Plan fails to deliver:

1. Capacity Building: Strengthening Black-led Organisations for the Long Term

London Now Now ensures that Black-led organisations are not just surviving, but thriving, by:

Advocating for unrestricted, long-term funding so that organisations can focus on impact, not just short-term survival.
Providing governance, financial management, and impact measurement training to ensure organisations are structurally resilient.
Creating peer-support networks for Black leaders, so knowledge and resources can be shared across organisations.
Why this matters: The Growth Plan’s broad SME support does not address the specific needs of Black-led organisations. LNN provides the tools and investment necessary for long-term sustainability.

2. Leadership Development: Elevating Black Voices in Decision-Making

London Now Now focuses on breaking down the barriers that keep Black-led organisations out of economic governance and leadership roles, by:

Developing leadership certification programmes to create pathways for Black leaders to influence policy and funding decisions.
Expanding peer-led mentorship programmes that equip Black leaders with the knowledge and networks to advocate for their communities.
Building direct engagement with local councils, policymakers, and funders, ensuring Black voices shape economic strategies.
Why this matters: The Growth Plan lacks a direct strategy for increasing Black leadership in decision-making spaces. LNN actively creates these pathways, ensuring Black-led organisations have influence, not just representation.

3. Advocacy and Influencing: Reshaping Power Structures

The London Growth Plan fails to challenge the structural funding inequities that continue to exclude Black-led organisations. LNN tackles this head-on by:

Pushing for participatory grant-making models, ensuring Black-led organisations have a say in how funds are distributed.
Advocating for transparent and accountable funding processes, so that financial resources are equitably shared.
Engaging with policymakers to ensure Black-led organisations influence the decisions that shape London’s economic future.
Why this matters: The Growth Plan includes diversity rhetoric but does not back it up with systemic reforms. LNN is actively working to change how funding power is distributed.

4. Community Wealth: Ensuring Economic Sustainability for Black-led Organisations

London Now Now ensures that Black-led organisations are no longer dependent on unstable, short-term funding models, by:

Helping organisations adopt sustainable financial models, such as Community Interest Companies (CICs).
Providing access to local funds, investment opportunities, and revenue diversification strategies, so that Black-led organisations are not reliant on grants alone.
Advocating for multi-year core funding commitments, ensuring Black-led organisations can plan and grow sustainably.
Why this matters: The Growth Plan does not outline a financial strategy that ensures long-term security for Black-led organisations. LNN is actively working to change this by advocating for financial independence and economic sustainability.