Theatre Deli
Theatre Deli fills empty spaces with art and artists, creativity and community.
Small Grants
Support for projects and organisations that focus on greening and growing, working with older people, working with Deaf and Disabled people, working with the LGBTQIA+ community, and working with migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Small Grants are for charities with incomes under £200,000
With these grants, we want to give smaller organisations easier access to funding in the following five strands:
1) Environmental, greening and growing
2) Working with older people
3) Working with Deaf and Disabled people
4) Working with the LGBTQIA+ community
5) Working with migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers
Wherever possible, we seek to fund organisations and projects that actively involve the communities they serve when designing their services. We also seek to fund organisations and projects where the majority of staff and/or leaders have direct, lived experience of the organisation’s area of work.
Grant details
- Area: Greater London
- Open to: New and previous applicants
- Deadline: Applications accepted on a rolling basis
- Funding length: Up to five years
- Funding size: Up to £20,000 per year for a maximum of five years
- Average award: Based on grants made to date, we have awarded between £1,500 and £50,000, the average award size has been £18,000*
*These figures are illustrative. You can find out more about our approach to funding here.
Additional points on eligibility
Working with Deaf and Disabled people
Please note that the following groups of people are eligible:
- Deaf and Disabled people
- People with specific diagnoses of mental health conditions that could be considered a disability
General wellbeing projects that do not work with one of the above groups are not eligible.
Working with LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Ace) communities
Applications and work under this strand can be for pan-LGBTQIA+ communities (that is, for the benefit of all communities that fall under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella) and/or work that targets a specific part of the wider LGBTQIA+ community, such as queer women.
We are particularly keen to hear from organisations and Voluntary Constituted Organisations that are led by and for LGBTQIA+ people (by “led by and for”, we mean a majority of your board/committee and senior staff are LGBTQIA+, or you are working towards growing the LGBTQIA+ leadership in your organisation).
We are also interested in funding trans-specific organisations and projects to further reach trans communities in London. We also welcome applications from organisations that take an intersectional approach to addressing issues that disproportionately affect LGBTQIA+ people (By “intersectional”, we mean work that seeks to support people who experience multiple forms of marginalisation e.g. LGBTQIA+ people of colour).
Examples of work:
- A youth organisation developing an advisory board to support young LGBTQIA+ people of colour to develop social and leadership skills.
- An older people’s lunch club targeting trans people over 60 to combat isolation.
- A peer support group for LGBTQIA+ people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in London.
Working with older people
There is no specific age criteria for what is considered “older people”, but the project / organisation must be explicitly targeted towards older people.
Applicants are encouraged to showcase how their project addresses the unique requirements of older people, enhances their well-being, fosters social inclusion, or caters to their specific interests and concerns.
Detailed discussions regarding the project’s alignment with the older population’s needs and benefits will take place during the assessment process.
About the funding
To apply, your organisation’s annual income must be less than £200,000
Grants are awarded up to £20,000 per year for a maximum of five years and can cover project funding and/or core funding.
A grant cannot amount to more than 50% of an organisation’s turnover / income in any one year. Organisations must be able to provide at least one set of legally compliant accounts.
Applicants can seek core funding from the Small Grants programme providing all the organisation’s work is eligible for the funding criteria they have applied for (eg 100% of the organisation’s work is focused on greening and growing or another of the funding streams).
Eligible organisation structures
The following types of organisations can apply for the Small Grants programme:
- Registered charity
- Registered Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by guarantee
- Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation
- Charitable company
- Exempt or excepted charity
- Registered charitable industrial and provident society or charitable community benefit society (BenCom)
- Constituted voluntary organisation (this is specific to the Small Grants programme, Constituted voluntary organisations are not eligible for other City Bridge Foundation funding)
All organisations that apply must meet our Small Grants eligibility criteria and Governance Standards for funding. Constituted Voluntary Organisations should ensure that they meet these criteria and standards by clicking on the link below.
Small Grants: continuation funding
If your original Small Grant was for less than five years, you can apply for continuation funding to extend its duration up to a total of five years, as long as the project still meets our current funding priorities.
Continuation funding requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, but normally they will be for work and outcomes that are broadly in line with the original grant. The annual amount would usually be proportionate to the current award (allowing for inflation). We recognise that this will not always be appropriate, so, if helpful, please discuss individual circumstances with your Funding Manager in advance of an application.
To minimise the risk of a gap in funding between your current grant and any continuation award, you must apply at least four months before the end of your existing grant.
All continuation funding applications are subject to assessment, and we cannot guarantee they will be successful.
Before applying for Small Grant continuation funding, we recommend you talk to your Funding Manager or contact funding@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
To apply for Small Grant continuation funding, please use our standard, online Small Grants application form. Halfway through, where we ask for ‘Details of Funding’, tick ‘This work has recently been funded by City Bridge Foundation’.
Use the ‘How to apply’ box below to recheck your eligibility and start an application for continuation funding.
How to apply
Before beginning your application, please ensure you have read and understood the information on this page. We only fund organisations that meet our eligibility criteria. If you are unsure about your organisation’s eligibility, contact us at funding@cityoflondon.gov.uk, quoting Small Grants in the subject line.
Application steps:
- Find out what’s involved in the application process
- Check your eligibility
- Start your application
- FAQs
If you are a previous grant holder, or an unsuccessful applicant, please read our reapplication criteria before submitting a new application.
We aim to provide a decision within 12 weeks of the receipt of a fully completed application. However, at times of high demand this may take longer; we will let you know if that is the case.
We are unable to fund costs for any activity that has taken place before a grant is awarded.
The Bridge Programme
City Bridge Foundation offers a range of free, additional support to every organisation we fund. This support includes:
- Bespoke one-on-one consultancy on an agreed issue or clearly defined task
- Signposting and referrals to trusted development and support services
- Group learning via webinars and/or peer networks for grantees experiencing shared issues
- Attendance of training courses and/or conferences
Current Small Grants holders can follow the link below for further information.
In 2020 City Bridge Foundation awarded a Small Grant of £30,000 to Nature Vibezzz. The funding helps Nature Vibezzz to provide activities which promote health such as gardening, forest schools and nature conservation, while building community and safely involving families in the development and use of their local green space.