How to unblock the system of community funding with Mark Shearer

How to unblock the system of community funding with Mark Shearer

From Urban Forecast by Ackroyd Lowrie

December 1, 2025 · 34 min · Season 3 · Episode 58

About this episode

Mark Shearer discusses the inefficiencies in the UK's grant-giving and planning systems and how ActionFunder is improving community funding.

Urban Forecast sits down with Mark Shearer, CEO and Co-founder of ActionFunder and a councillor for Westminster. With a rare dual perspective spanning politics, community impact and the built environment, Mark breaks down the staggering inefficiencies in the UK’s grant-giving and planning systems and explains why billions in community funding remain stuck in local authority accounts. He shares how ActionFunder is reframing the relationship between developers, councils and local communities th...

People in this episode

Guest: Mark Shearer

Topics covered

  • community funding
  • grant-giving
  • planning systems
  • local authorities
  • politics
  • community impact

Keywords

  • ActionFunder
  • Westminster
  • developers
  • local communities

Mentioned in this episode

Products: ActionFunder

Places: Westminster, UK

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