In February 2021, we were lucky enough to receive a grant from the Tudor Trust towards the staffing, development and running costs of the BAMER HUB, our free, online platform providing members exclusive access to content and resources to help strengthen and grow their non-profit organisation. But why BAMER HUB, and what does this mean in practice?
Why BAMER HUB?
Since launching in 2020, BAMER HUB has provided immensely valuable tools, activities, and resources to Black, Asian, Multi-Ethnic, and Refugee (BAMER)-led non-profit groups. But increasing registration numbers and demand for content are putting pressure on the existing website. In January this year, we decided it was time for a revamp.
Tudor Trust recognised BAMER HUB’s importance and awarded us a grant to facilitate the revamp. Thanks to their support, we can keep expanding and continue to meet the needs of our growing community of members.
What does it mean in practice?
- A renewed emphasis on community. BAMER HUB members told us they want to meet, connect, and build relationships on BAMER HUB. The new platform will have improved networking abilities and a news feed.
- A platform for members, owned by members. The BAMER HUB Content Creators Club (BHCCC) is a newly formed and expanding group of volunteer members to support BAMER HUB and provide constructive feedback, so our community has an even greater say in the way BAMER HUB operates.
- Bigger and better. With the help of the BHCCC and our new digital platform, we’re aiming to grow BAMER HUB to 1,000 registered users by the end of 2023.
What is BAMER HUB?
BAMER HUB is a social learning platform with curated digital tools, activities, and resources specifically for BAMER (Black, Asian, Multi-Ethnic & Refugee)-led non-profits. It’s modelled on six years of highly successful development and learning from the AVOCADO+ Accelerator Programme, and helps members improve their sustainability, fundraising capabilities, governance, networking, impact, and leadership, through culturally appropriate methods where applicable. We know these organisations face numerous unique challenges, often taking many years to gain momentum and build capacity despite the great needs they meet.
Who uses BAMER HUB, and how much?
The average website visit duration on BAMER HUB in 2022 was over four and a half minutes—far longer than most websites’ average session lengths, and comparable with the top social media platforms. Returning users opened 2,145 website sessions on BAMER HUB.
Users spent an average of two minutes on any given page. Our Funding Opportunities database proved very popular in 2022 and we matched the enthusiasm by adding over 200 entries. We saw 17% growth in user numbers compared to last year.
