Fast Track Cities London

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £2 million+ (varies by funding cycle)
• Success Rate: 30% (12 grants from 40 applications in 2019 round; 8 grants from 24 applications in 2023 round)
• Decision Time: 2-3 months from application deadline
• Grant Range: £90,000 - £800,000 per funding initiative
• Geographic Focus: London boroughs only

Contact Details

Website: https://fasttrackcities.london/

Email: rf-tr.londonftci@nhs.net (for grant enquiries)

Hosted by: Transformation Partners in Health and Care (NHS partnership)

Grant Administration: Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust (commissions grant agreements on behalf of Fast Track Cities)

Overview

Fast Track Cities London was established in January 2018 when the Mayor of London signed the Paris Declaration on Fast-Track Cities, committing the capital to ending new HIV transmissions by 2030. The initiative is an NHS-hosted partnership between the Mayor of London, NHS England, UK Health Security Agency, and London Councils, with strategic coordination provided by Transformation Partners in Health and Care.

Since its inception, Fast Track Cities has distributed over £6 million in NHS England funding to HIV voluntary sector organizations. The initiative operates through periodic competitive grant rounds rather than continuous open applications, focusing on achieving three “zero” goals: zero new HIV infections, zero preventable deaths, and zero stigma. Major funding rounds have included the £3 million HIV Improvement Fund (2019-2022, 12 grants awarded), the £800,000 “Getting to Zero” peer support collaborative (2023, 8 initiatives funded), and ongoing specialist grants for housing, immigration, and regional services.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Getting to Zero Collaborative (Current focus area)

• Peer support integration in NHS HIV clinics across London
• Wrap-around services including counselling, welfare advice, housing support
• Recent awards: £800,000 distributed across 8 initiatives (2023)

HIV Improvement Fund (Closed - 2019-2022)

• Three-year grants ranging from £1 million total pool per year
• 12 projects funded involving 22 charities and 9 NHS Trusts
• Focus on quality improvement methodologies

Specialist Service Grants (Periodic opportunities)

• Housing and Immigration Services: £90,000 (2024)
• East of England Peer Support: £262,000 (regional extension)
• Application method: Competitive bidding via online application form, assessed by independent panel

Priority Areas

Testing and Early Diagnosis

• Reducing new, late, and undiagnosed HIV infections
• Community testing in underserved populations
• Innovative testing approaches for marginalised groups

Treatment Retention and Virological Suppression

• Supporting long-term treatment adherence
• Re-engaging people lost to care
• Peer support for complex patients

Quality of Life and Living Well

• Psychosocial support services
• Welfare benefits advice (projects have secured over £1.8 million in benefits for clients)
• Housing and immigration advice
• Integration between primary, secondary, and community care

Reaching Underserved Populations

• Black and minority ethnic communities
• Migrants and people with insecure immigration status
• People experiencing homelessness
• People with substance misuse issues
• Women living with HIV
• Younger people and socially isolated individuals
• Faith communities
• Gay and bisexual men

What They Don't Fund

• Services outside London (though some regional extensions to East of England have been funded)
• HIV research without a direct service delivery component
• Projects that don't involve collaboration with NHS services
• Organizations without demonstrated expertise in HIV or target populations
• Services that duplicate existing provision without innovation
• Projects that don't commit to quality improvement methodologies

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Governance and Leadership

Leadership Structure

Fast Track Cities London is guided by a Leadership Group that meets monthly, comprising representatives from people living with HIV, voluntary sector organizations, academics, clinicians, commissioners, NHS representatives, and directors of public health.

Co-Chairs

Professor Kevin Fenton - Regional Director for London, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID)

Professor Jane Anderson - Consultant Physician with HIV expertise

Key Leadership Quote: “Peer support plays a crucial role in adjusting to diagnosis and facing life challenges.” - From Fast Track Cities leadership on the £800K peer support investment

Leadership Group Members

• Aneesha Noonan - Medical Director, NHS England (primary care representative)
• Chris Lovitt - Deputy Director of Public Health, City of London Corporation
• Silvia Petretti - CEO of Positively UK (voluntary sector representative)
• Steve Worrall - Deputy Director, Positive East (NGO representative)
• Representatives from Integrated Care Systems, GPs, sexual health programs, and people with lived HIV experience

Subgroups

• Improvement Community (oversees quality improvement collaborative)
• Stigma (focuses on anti-stigma initiatives)
• Communications and Engagement

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Fast Track Cities London operates through periodic competitive funding rounds rather than continuous open applications. Grant opportunities are announced on their website and through voluntary sector networks.

Application Method:

• Online application form available during open funding windows
• Applications must demonstrate partnership approach with NHS services
• Bids can be from single organizations or collaborations
• Grant durations typically 1-3 years

Pre-Application Requirements:

• Must be third sector/voluntary organization (or partnership led by third sector)
• Demonstrated expertise in HIV and/or target populations
• Services must be deliverable across London or specified regions
• Commitment to join Quality Improvement Community
• Willingness to participate in collaborative learning and data sharing

Application Components:

• Detailed project description aligned with Fast Track Cities roadmap priorities
• Evidence of partnership with NHS trusts/clinics
• Budget breakdown
• Outcomes measurement plan using quality improvement metrics
• Approach to reaching underserved populations
• Plans for integration with existing services

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline (based on previous rounds):

• Announcement to deadline: 6-8 weeks
• Assessment period: 6-8 weeks post-deadline
• Panel review by Fast Track Cities Leadership Group members (independent assessment)
• Notification: Approximately 2-3 months from deadline
• Programme start: 2-4 months after award notification (subject to contracting)

Example Timeline (2019 Improvement Fund):

• Announced: October 2, 2019
• Applications opened: October 18, 2019
• Deadline: December 12, 2019
• Awards announced: January 2020

Success Rates

2019 HIV Improvement Fund:

• 40 applications received
• 12 grants awarded
• Success rate: 30%
• Total requested exceeded £3 million; £1 million available per year
• Panel noted “high standard of bids”

2023 Getting to Zero Collaborative:

• 24 applications received
• 8 initiatives funded (involving 11 charities)
• Success rate: Approximately 33%
• £800,000 total funding distributed

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent funding rounds. There is no documented waiting period between applications. Organizations that have previously received funding are eligible to apply for new initiatives or continuation funding, and several organizations have received multiple grants across different funding rounds (e.g., Positively UK, Positive East, Metro Charity have been funded in multiple rounds).

Application Success Factors

Quality Improvement Commitment

Fast Track Cities emphasizes that grants are “not traditional grants” - successful applicants must commit to being part of a Quality Improvement Community. All funded projects receive QI training from East London NHS Foundation Trust's Quality Improvement team, with no prior knowledge required. Projects must be willing to measure impact, share learning, and adapt approaches based on data.

Quote from Fast Track Cities: “These bids are not grants, we will be awarding organisations allocations with a clear expectation that each project signs up to be part of a collection of projects constituting a Quality Improvement Community working together to measure and alter the impact of projects for the benefit of the HIV community as a whole.”

Partnership Approach

Successful applications demonstrate strong partnerships between voluntary sector organizations and NHS services. The 12 projects funded in 2019 brought together 22 charities with 9 NHS Trusts. Projects must show how peer support workers or services will integrate within NHS HIV clinics as part of multi-disciplinary teams.

Evidence of Reaching Underserved Groups

The panel prioritizes projects targeting “more complex, vulnerable or marginalised groups.” Successful applications in previous rounds focused on immigrants, homeless people, people with substance misuse issues, Black and minority ethnic populations, women, younger people, socially isolated individuals, and faith groups.

Measurable Outcomes Aligned with London Roadmap

Applications must clearly link to Fast Track Cities' strategic roadmap and the 2030 ambitions. Successful projects have demonstrated concrete outcomes:

• Clinical referrals to peer support increased 12-fold in one funded project
• 85% of complex patients achieved untransmissible HIV status through peer support in one clinic
• Welfare projects secured £1.8 million in benefits for over 480 people
• Over 5,950 HIV tests delivered to marginalised communities

Geographic Considerations

While not a strict requirement, the selection panel considers geographic spread of services across London to ensure equitable access. Applications should identify which London boroughs or regions they will serve and address any gaps in current provision.

Innovation Within Collaboration

Successful projects show “innovative collaborations with other community and voluntary organisations, the NHS and Local Authority services.” Rather than duplicating existing services, funded projects demonstrate new approaches to integration, personalisation, or reaching populations currently underserved.

Organizational Capacity

Given the quality improvement requirements, successful applicants demonstrate:

• Capacity to collect and analyze outcome data
• Willingness to participate in regular collaborative learning sessions
• Ability to adapt service delivery based on feedback and metrics
• Staff availability for QI training and coaching

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Monitor for funding rounds: Fast Track Cities operates through periodic competitive rounds announced 6-8 weeks before deadlines, not rolling applications. Sign up to their mailing list and check the website regularly for announcements.

• Partnership is essential: Applications must demonstrate strong NHS collaboration. Build relationships with HIV clinics and NHS Trusts before applying. Projects are typically embedded within NHS services rather than operating independently.

• Commit to quality improvement: Be prepared to participate in QI training, collaborative learning sessions, data collection, and iterative service improvement. This is a core requirement, not optional.

• Competition is significant: With success rates around 30%, applications must be compelling and well-evidenced. Previous rounds showed demand exceeding available funding by 3:1.

• Focus on underserved populations: Applications targeting Black and minority ethnic communities, migrants, homeless people, and other marginalised groups consistently succeed. Demonstrate deep understanding of and access to these communities.

• Demonstrate measurable impact: Use concrete metrics aligned with the three zeros (infections, deaths, stigma). Show how your project will contribute to London's 2030 HIV elimination goals with specific, measurable outcomes.

• Think collaborative, not competitive: Fast Track Cities funds portfolios of complementary projects that learn from each other. Show how your work fits within and enhances the broader London HIV response.

References

• Fast Track Cities London official website: https://fasttrackcities.london/
• “Fast-Track Cities HIV improvement fund projects working towards the 2030 ambitions” - Transformation Partners in Health and Care: https://www.transformationpartners.nhs.uk/programmes/fast-track-cities-initiative/fast-track-cities-hiv-improvement-fund-projects/
• “£800K boost for HIV support in London” - Fast Track Cities London: https://fasttrackcities.london/800k-boost-for-hiv-support-in-london/
• “Improvement fund” - Fast Track Cities London: https://fasttrackcities.london/our-work/improvement-fund/
• “Leadership Group” - Fast Track Cities London: https://fasttrackcities.london/about-us/leadership-group/
• “Getting to Zero Collaborative Housing and Immigration Grant” - Fast Track Cities London: https://fasttrackcities.london/fast-track-cities-london-leadership-group-launches-getting-to-zero-collaborative-housing-and-immigration-grant/
• “Case study: Using Quality Improvement (QI) to get London to zero HIV” - Fast Track Cities London: https://fasttrackcities.london/case-study-using-quality-improvement-qi-to-get-london-to-zero-hiv/
• “HIV Improvement Community Impact Report highlights progress in getting to zero” - Fast Track Cities London: https://fasttrackcities.london/hiv-improvement-community-impact-report-highlights-progress-in-getting-to-zero/