Governance

The City Bridge Foundation Board has day-to-day responsibility for administering City Bridge Foundation on behalf of our Trustee, the City of London Corporation. 

The City Corporation’s principal decision making body, the Court of Common Council, retains ultimate oversight of, and responsibility for, City Bridge Foundation, with some aspects of our charity’s governance and administration being reserved to the Court. 

The City Bridge Foundation Board delegates some of its responsibilities to its two Committees:

1. The Investment Committee: responsible for the strategic oversight and monitoring of the performance of the charity’s investment portfolio. 
2. The Funding Committee: responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of the funding policy, which includes grant-making and social investment activities.

The City of London Corporation is the trustee of City Bridge Foundation, acting by the Court of Common Council. The Court of Common Council carries out these trustee functions through the City Corporation’s internal governance framework, whether by members in committee or officers operating under delegated authority.

Trustees have particular legal duties and responsibilities, including to act independently and in the best interests of the charity and only in furtherance of the charitable purposes of the charity, to safeguard the charity’s assets and reputation, to act within their powers and to manage conflicts of interest.

Trustees need to understand the regulatory landscape and the particular compliance and reporting obligations which apply. Aside from these legal obligations, trustees are also expected to meet certain standards of good governance practice which are aimed at supporting compliance with the law and regulatory landscape and supporting the successful operation of the charity for its charitable purposes.

Visit the City of London Corporation’s website

Our Bridging London strategy sets a clear and ambitious vision for a connected capital, which we will deliver by maintaining and promoting world-class bridges, developing and delivering world-class charitable funding, and embedding and encouraging world-class responsible business practices. Our cross-cutting strategic ambitions of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Climate Action will be fundamental to everything we do.

Bridging Divides, our funding strategy, provides the vision and strategic direction for us as a charitable funder. We are committed to using our funding, knowledge, networks and assets to support Londoners and London’s communities who are experiencing disadvantage and marginalisation to thrive.

In March 2024, City Bridge Foundation began the process of developing a new 10-year funding policy to replace the Bridging Divides strategy. Our aim is to ensure our funding is targeted where it has the greatest impact.

Our investment objectives seek to support the achievement of our vision and aims as set out in the Bridging London Strategy. This is to support a better connected London by taking a values-driven approach to becoming a world-class bridge owner, charitable funder and responsible leader.

At City Bridge Foundation we are committed to being a truly inclusive, anti-racist organisation with a robust, progressive and proactive Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programme.

At City Bridge Foundation we are committed to being a truly inclusive, anti-racist organisation with a robust, progressive and proactive Equity, Diversity and Inclusion programme.