Standing with Londoners – our new funding policy

Our new funding policy, launched in March 2025, focuses on changing the systems that keep people marginalised, while also addressing the issues communities face right now. We aim to launch the first of our new funding programmes in autumn 2025.

This page summarises the new ten-year policy. 

You can also read our full Standing with Londoners report in either HTML (website) or PDF format, using these links. 

Over the last 30 years, City Bridge Foundation has become the capital’s largest independent charitable funder, awarding over £840m in support of London’s charitable sector.

Our new funding policy aims to maximise the impact of our resources in achieving a more equitable London. We will do this by focusing on changing the systems that keep people marginalised — through collaboration and co-ordination across London’s civil society, charities, communities, funders, government and business.

We have consulted widely and reflected deeply on the challenges facing London’s most marginalised communities. This has informed our new funding policy, which aims to maximise the impact of the resources we have to advance our mission. It marks a decisive step forward for the foundation in two significant ways.

Firstly, we will work in solidarity with London’s communities and civil society — based on partnerships and joint endeavour, bound by shared values and a common vision.

Secondly, we will strengthen our role as a social justice funder by focusing on changing the systems that keep people marginalised; by empowering communities directly affected by inequality; and by addressing the issues they face right now.

We have identified four visions for a fairer London around which we will shape and develop our future funding programmes: Climate Justice, Access to Justice, Racial Justice and Economic Justice.

Within and across these four areas are some of the most critical issues facing London’s most marginalised communities. They are vital entry points to combat inequality and achieve social justice.

• Climate and environmental justice seeks to empower those people hardest hit by climate change, environmental hazards and pollution, to organise and champion a fair, inclusive transition as London works towards its net-zero goals.
• Access to justice is about working with London’s communities to ensure everyone can access their rights and find solutions to problems — on a range of issues, including housing, social security, employment, immigration and criminal justice.
• Racial justice is about working to create a society where inequalities based on ​‘race’ are not only addressed but transformed. An underfunded area in London, we will focus on collective action to address disparities in areas such as employment, housing, education, mental health, immigration and the criminal justice system.
• Economic justice refers to the fair and equitable distribution of resources, opportunities and economic benefits in society, ensuring that all Londoners can thrive. This could include approaches to tackling poverty, reducing income gaps and wealth inequalities.

Achieving impact and change at scale requires meaningful partnership, collaboration and co-ordination. We will support a diverse range of stakeholders in movements working to address common social justice issues.

We will use grant-making, social investments, networks and our convening power, in support of the following activities:

• Connecting Communities: We will connect communities by creating more joined-up systems of support, co-operation and collective power. We will support organisations to build capacity and resilience. This support will include leadership development, infrastructure support, convening and network-building.
• Meeting Needs: We will meet needs by funding frontline work with an emphasis on advice and holistic support for London’s most marginalised communities. We will prioritise service delivery that applies community insights and evidence to drive meaningful change.
• Catalysing Change: We will catalyse change by starting, supporting or accelerating initiatives that aim to bring about social change. This could include funding advocacy and campaigns, community organising, evidence gathering, research and strategic communications.

Across City Bridge Foundation, we will Stand with Londoners, using our voice, assets and networks to advocate for social justice across our four priority areas: Climate Justice, Access to Justice, Racial Justice and Economic Justice.

We have bold ambitions as a social justice funder and will continue to learn and adapt to serve London and Londoners.

As we move into the implementation phase of this funding policy, we will work with partners over the coming months and years to refine and define the focus of our funding programmes, always ensuring equity and effectiveness is a priority.

FAQs relating to the development of our new funding policy

We have been busy developing our new 10-year future funding policy. This page traces our ongoing development process. 

You can also read our full Standing with Londoners report in standard website format. Just use the button below.