The Foundation was established in 1987 as part of the National Institute for Social Work (NISW) and was known as the Race Equality Unit. We became an independent charitable organisation in 1995, and in 2006, changed our name to the Race Equality Foundation. We promote race equality in social support and public services. We seek to explore what is known about discrimination and disadvantage, and to use this evidence to develop interventions that overcome barriers and promote race equality in health, housing and social care.