Funder plus
In addition to our grant funding, we are committed to using all of our available assets to help our funded organisations
Applying for funding
Who we fund and our application process
What’s on this page:
Who we fund
What types of organisations are eligible to apply?
- A charity that was established and registered in the UK
- A registered charitable incorporated organisation
- A charitable company
- A registered charitable industrial and provident society (IPS) or charitable community benefit society (BenCom)
- A CIC (community interest company) limited by guarantee
- Constituted voluntary organisations can apply for our Small Grants programme, but not our other funding programmes.
An organisation that is both a limited company (usually a private company limited by guarantee) and a registered charity.
All charities with an annual income over £5,000 are recommended to register with the Charity Commission.
A co-operative that may be established by a geographical community or people with common interests.
How to apply
To apply for a grant you will need to complete an online application form. These five steps, and the video guide below, explain what you can expect and what information you will need to apply.
Step 1
The first step is to check you have selected the most appropriate grant from our available funding programmes.
Step 2
Next, complete our eligibility checker to make sure that it is possible for us to fund you. Please note, we only fund organisations that meet our eligibility criteria.
Step 3
Lastly, fill out an online form on our application portal. There is help at every step with supporting information.
Funding application links can be found on completion of the eligibility checker, and via your chosen funding programme page.
Sample application form
If you would like to view our application form without entering the online application portal, you can use our SAMPLE application form. This interactive Word document is a copy of our online application portal, and can be used to help you plan your application.
This SAMPLE application form cannot be used to make an application for funding. If you wish to make an application, all information must be entered on our online portal.
Note: This sample application form covers most of our grants, but does not cover the Anchor Programme, Small Grants, Stepping Stones, Eco audits or Access audits.
Alternative formats
If you require our application form or related guidance notes in alternative formats, to make them more accessible, please contact us at funding@cityoflondon.gov.uk or on 020 7332 3710 to discuss your needs.
Step 4
As part of your application, we ask for a number of supporting documents. There is full guidance about supporting documents, but you’ll need a copy of your:
organisation’s constitution
safeguarding policy
most recent signed audited or independently examined accounts
relevant job description/s, including rate of pay, if your application includes costs for any job roles of 17+ hours per week
monitoring framework — help included in the guidance
Step 5
When we have your online application and all supporting documents, your application will be reviewed by our team.
As part of this assessment process, one of our team might contact you for more information and possibly arrange to visit your organisation.
Application turnaround times vary according to application volumes and staff capacity. We are currently experiencing delays to our usual turnaround time of four to six months, due to key staff turnover, and a considerable increase in the number of incoming applications.
We are working hard to process as many applications as quickly as possible, but please plan on the basis of a decision taking seven months. We are working to reduce this turnaround time and will post further updates here. Thank you for your patience.
Approval rates
The approval rate of grant applications to our funding programmes is currently 53%. This excludes the new Anchor Programme.
Small Grants and Access Audits are processed differently, with approval rates of 60% for Small Grants and 57% for Access Audits.
How to apply for funding, a step by step video guide
This quick video guide explains how to apply for a grant.
Alternative formats
If you require our application form or related guidance notes in alternative formats to make them more accessible, please contact us at funding@cityoflondon.gov.uk or on 020 7332 3710 to discuss your needs.
Available funding
Explore our grant funding themes, grants and other open programmes.
Go to available fundingReapplication criteria
When can organisations re-apply?
Previous grant holders:
- At the end of your revenue funding you may apply for a further grant for a different purpose (i.e. one with significantly different outcomes) one year after we receive a final and satisfactory monitoring and evaluation report on the original grant
- If you wish to apply for the same purpose, you can do so two years after the final, satisfactory monitoring & evaluation report is received
- In the case of capital grants one year must have elapsed since the final payment of that grant and receipt of a satisfactory monitoring and evaluation report
Unsuccessful applicants:
- You can re-apply one year after the date that the original complete application was submitted. This date is included in the letter sent to you after the application has been considered
What we don’t fund
We cannot fund:
- Political parties
- Part political campaigning / lobbying
- Non-charitable activities
- Work which does not benefit those who live in Greater London
- CICs (community interest companies) limited by shares
We do not fund:
- Individuals (except through our nominated agencies)
- Grant-making bodies to make grants on our behalf (except through our nominated agencies)
- Schools, PTAs, universities or other educational establishments
- Work taking place in schools, except for the delivery of non-statutory mental health services
- Medical or academic research
- Churches or other religious bodies where the monies will be used for religious purposes
- Hospitals or primary healthcare providers
- Community amateur sports clubs
- Projects which have already taken place or building work which has already been completed
- Statutory bodies, such as local authorities
- Profit-making organisations, except social enterprises
- Charities established/registered outside the UK
- Festivals or events which last no longer than a few days
- Activities or projects which incorporate an overnight stay
- Residential care services
- Residential facilities (except where they provide short-term emergency accommodation)
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about City Bridge Foundation funding and grants
Frequently asked questions about City Bridge Foundation’s application portal
Leave a review
All grant applicants, whether successful or not, are welcome to leave an anonymous review of City Bridge Foundation at GrantAdvisor UK
Check your eligibility
Complete our short eligibility checker to see if we can help your organisation
Main image credit: wocintechchat.com
Grants awarded
Details of grants awarded and organisations funded by City Bridge Foundation