Pre-application phone calls – Communities Building Economic Change
Guidance on how our pre-application phone calls work on Communities Building Economic Change, the first funding round of our Economic Justice programme.
How our pre-application phone calls work
Pre-application calls are 15-minute telephone calls where a member of your organisation can speak directly with our funding team about your eligibility, our funding process, and how to apply. These are not video calls.
Calls are designed to help your organisation decide whether to submit an application or to clarify aspects of the programme or application process.
Pre-application phone calls are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Calls can be booked via our website from 12 noon on Tuesday 22 September 2026.
Bookings must be made before 5pm on Tuesday 27 October 2026.
Pre-application phone calls will take place between Friday 25 September and Thursday 29 October 2026.
Before booking a call
Before requesting a pre-application phone call (or starting a funding application), we strongly advise the following steps:
- Carefully read the downloadable Funding Guidelines
- Attend or watch a recording of our webinar
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions about this round of funding
Most of your questions will be answered if you follow the steps above. Preparing in advance lets us spend more of the call answering your specific questions, rather than covering information that’s already available.
Booking a phone call
- You’ll complete a short booking request form via our website.
- We’ll review your request and assign it to a member of our team.
- You’ll receive a booking link that lets you choose an available time slot.
If you’re unable to attend your call after booking, please contact funding@citybridgefoundation.org.uk. If you wish to rebook your pre-application phone call, please start a new booking through our website.
If you need adjustments for your call, please email us at funding@citybridgefoundation.org.uk.
What can I ask during a pre-application phone call?
For us, pre-application phone calls are an opportunity for potential applicants to ask about:
- Funding eligibility
- Our processes
- Our timescales
Pre-application phone calls are not an opportunity to ask about:
- Chances of success (unless ineligible)
- What activities to deliver
- How specific activities may align with the criteria
- Upcoming funding opportunities
How to get the most out of your call
We want your pre-application phone call to be as helpful as possible. In our experience, there are a few easy steps you can take to help you get the most out of it:
- Please answer your call on time – we’ll send you a reminder email 48 hours before your call, reminding you of your scheduled time.
- Ensure you’re in a quiet location and have a stable mobile signal (or a reliable internet connection) before your call begins.
- Take note of what you wish to ask – we’ll ask you about the questions you wish to ask during the call when you book, to allow our team to prepare for your call in advance.
- Please have only one person from your organisation join the call so we can keep the conversation focused.
Please keep all interactions with City Bridge Foundation staff respectful and constructive so we can provide the best possible support to applicants. Thank you.