GrantRadar

City of London Corporation

Stronger Communities Grants (Central Grants Programme)

The City of London Corporation's Stronger Communities grants, part of its Central Grants Programme, fund projects benefiting communities within the Square Mile and/or on the Corporation's housing estates across London. Small Grants are £500-£3,000 and Main Grants up to £10,000 (up to £20,000 over two years in exceptional cases), for projects that strengthen neighbourhoods and communities or promote community health and wellbeing. It is a rolling programme with no deadlines.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£500 – £20,000
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Registered charities, registered CICs, CIOs, charitable companies (incorporated as not-for-profit), exempt or excepted charities, registered charitable industrial and provident societies or charitable co-operatives (bencoms), and constituted voluntary organisations (including residents' associations)
  • All must have at least three unrelated members on their governing body and an ordinary business bank account with at least two unrelated signatories not living at the same address
  • Projects must benefit communities in the City of London (Square Mile) and/or on City Corporation housing estates: Golden Lane and Middlesex Street (City of London); Avondale Square, Southbank Estates and Horace Jones House (Southwark); Dron House and Spitalfields (Tower Hamlets); Holloway, Isleden House and York Way (Islington); Windsor House (Hackney); Sydenham Hill (Lewisham); William Blake (Lambeth)
  • Organisations based elsewhere are not excluded as such, but the beneficiaries must be in these places; check with the team if unsure
  • Only one application at a time and only one grant held at a time; current grant holders must be up to date with monitoring before reapplying

What it funds

Projects fitting one or both sub-themes:

  • Developing stronger neighbourhoods and communities (local community-based projects in the City of London and its housing estates that help more people get involved in their communities and encourage a broader understanding of their diverse needs, either promoting take-up of existing projects or services or encouraging new and innovative ones)
  • Promoting community health and wellbeing (activities with positive outcomes addressing the priorities of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy)

Projects must be delivered for the benefit of communities or beneficiaries within the City of London (the Square Mile) and/or on the City of London Corporation's housing estates across London.

Small Grants: £500-£3,000.

Main Grants: up to £10,000, or up to £20,000 in exceptional circumstances for a two-year project that shows how more funding over a longer period will make a demonstrable difference.

Proposals supporting individuals are accepted if an organisation applies.

What it will not fund

  • Activities that have already taken place or start before the grant is confirmed
  • Costs of putting together your application
  • Fundraising activities for your organisation or others
  • Items purchased on behalf of another organisation
  • Loans or interest payments
  • Projects that actively promote religious or political activities
  • Purchase of alcohol
  • Projects not benefiting people in the City of London or on City Corporation housing estates
  • Applications from individuals (they should apply through a constituted group, residents' association or charity)

How to apply

  1. Check that your project benefits the Square Mile and/or a City Corporation housing estate; contact the Central Funding and Charity Management Team (grants@cityoflondon.gov.uk) if unsure or for a pre-application discussion
  2. Apply through the City Corporation's online grants portal: 'Apply for a Small Grant' (£500-£3,000) or 'Apply for a Main Grant' (up to £10,000; £20,000 exceptionally over two years), uploading your supporting documents
  3. Receipt is acknowledged within ten working days; incomplete applications are returned and you have a further ten working days to supply missing information
  4. An officer assesses the application and may call or visit; it is then referred to the appropriate Committee
  5. If successful, you receive an offer letter (possibly with conditions); sign and return the grant terms and conditions within 20 working days, then formally request payment
  6. Complete an end-of-grant monitoring report and keep receipts

Rolling programme with no deadlines. Do not start the project until all requested information has been received and approved.

Drafts are not reviewed. Large print, Braille or audio forms are available on request. No appeals; feedback on request.

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