Streets Of London

Quick Stats

• Annual Income: £195,663 (2023-24)
• Annual Grant Distribution: £150,000-£250,000 (varies annually)
• Grant Range: £12,500 - £25,000
• Typical Grant: £15,000
• Geographic Focus: London only
• Total Funding Since 2015: Over £1.3 million

Contact Details

Website: www.streetsoflondon.org.uk

Email: info@streetsoflondon.org.uk

Phone: 020 7780 0392 (07780039277)

Charity Number: 1155242

Social Media: Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram (@streetsofl)

Overview

Streets of London was established in 2010, beginning with a series of small music gigs in the capital. Since 2015, the charity has provided more than £1.3 million of vital funding to the homeless sector in London. With an annual income of approximately £195,663 (2023-24), the charity focuses on funding specialist support services for people who are homeless in London, ensuring they have the advice and support needed to move on and make lasting changes in their lives. The charity operates with a lean structure—3 trustees and 12 volunteers—keeping overheads minimal to maximize funding impact. Streets of London concentrates its efforts in London because nearly half of people sleeping rough in England are in London and the South East. The charity raises funds through special events, including the annual Starry Night concert at the Royal Albert Hall featuring artists like Paul Weller and Ellie Goulding, the annual Sleep-Out and Night Walk, prize draws, and individual and corporate partnerships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Streets of London typically distributes £150,000-£250,000 annually across multiple projects. Recent grant rounds include:

• £250,000 distributed across 14 projects (most recent round), with grants ranging from £15,000 to £25,000
• Additional £100,000 earmarked for mental health and well-being initiatives
• Previous rounds: £150,000 to ten projects; £110,000 to 11 projects; £82,000 to eight projects

Standard grant amount: Up to £15,000 per project (though grants up to £25,000 have been awarded)

Application method: No public application process; projects are identified through the charity's sector knowledge and networks

Priority Areas

Streets of London funds direct support services for homeless people, including:

• Immediate Support: Drop-in centers providing food, showers, clothing, and medical attention
• Street Outreach: Teams working with rough sleepers
• Mental Health Services: Therapy clinics and outreach psychotherapy
• Addiction Treatment: Residential programs with counseling and group therapy
• Housing Support: Navigation services, tenancy support, and transition assistance to independent living
• Skills Development: Hospitality training, English language tuition, employment mentoring, life skills (cooking, shopping, financial management)
• Recovery Programs: Group activities rebuilding confidence and trust
• Hospital Discharge Programs: “Out of Hospital, Off the Streets” initiatives
• Night Centers: Safe spaces for those sleeping rough
• Specialist Support for Young People: Services for homeless youth

Key focus: The charity prioritizes smaller, lesser-known charities that offer direct support but struggle to secure funding from other sources due to limited profile and fundraising capacity.

What They Don't Fund

Based on their stated priorities:

• Large, well-known charities with established fundraising capacity
• Services outside London
• Indirect support or purely advocacy work
• Capital costs or building projects (focus is on service delivery)
• Organizations not providing direct support to homeless individuals

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Governance and Leadership

Trustees

The charity has 3 trustees, all appointed on 22 September 2013:

• Meghan Fayre Doyle - Chair
• James Richard Corry - Trustee
• Jeremy Timothy Charles Playle - Trustee

None of the trustees receive any remuneration, payments, or benefits from the charity.

Senior Leadership

Ian Steuart Fothringham - Director and Founder

Ian brings nearly two decades of experience in the homeless sector, spending many years as a front-line worker supporting homeless people at a day center in Westminster. His insights about the sector inform the charity's funding approach.

Key quotes from Ian Steuart Fothringham:

On the human impact of homelessness:

"The film shows that whether you're a famous musician or you're homeless, we all have the same dreams and ambitions. Everyone has a story - a childhood where they dreamed of who they would be when they grew up, and we all have hopes and dreams for the future too. Homelessness compromises people's basic dignity, and it can be incredibly damaging, but with the right support, people can make a fresh start and get their life back on track."

On funding challenges for smaller charities:

"During the last ten years, I've seen the extent to which small homelessness charities have to rely on insecure sources of funding. They generally lack the profile and fund-raising capacity of the larger, better-known charities, and more often than not they're in the vulnerable position of not knowing where next year's funding will come from."

On the scale of the crisis:

"Rough sleeping in London continues to be at record levels. It's up again 10 per cent in the last year and is now at five times the level it was 20 years ago."

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

Streets of London does not have a public application process. The charity identifies and selects projects to fund using the Director's extensive sector knowledge and experience.

The charity states that they “identify projects where the funding will make a real difference, providing homeless people with the support they need to get back on their feet and empowering them to make lasting changes in their lives.”

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees based on recommendations from the Director and his understanding of the sector gained through nearly two decades of front-line work.

Getting on Their Radar

Streets of London has a specific approach to identifying projects:

How they find projects: Using Director Ian Steuart Fothringham's deep sector knowledge from nearly two decades as a front-line homeless sector worker, the charity actively identifies smaller charities that:

• Offer direct support to homeless people
• Have limited profile and fundraising capacity compared to larger, well-known charities
• Face insecure funding situations
• Deliver services where Streets of London funding will make a real difference

Making contact: While there's no formal application process, organizations can contact Streets of London at info@streetsoflondon.org.uk to introduce their work. However, be aware that:

• The charity proactively identifies projects rather than responding to applications
• Having sector connections and being known in London's homelessness community increases visibility
• Demonstrating direct, hands-on support to homeless individuals is essential

Building visibility:

• Participate in London homelessness sector networks where the Director may encounter your work
• Maintain a strong reputation for delivering direct support services
• Focus on demonstrating tangible impact rather than promotional activities

Application Success Factors

Since Streets of London operates through identification rather than application, success factors relate to organizational characteristics:

What Streets of London looks for:

1. Smaller size and limited fundraising capacity: The charity explicitly targets organizations that “generally lack the profile and fund-raising capacity of the larger, better-known charities.” If you're a major charity with substantial fundraising infrastructure, you're not the target.

1. Direct support delivery: The charity emphasizes “direct support” repeatedly. They fund projects where staff or volunteers work hands-on with homeless individuals, not advocacy, policy work, or indirect services.

1. Real impact potential: Streets of London seeks projects “where the funding will make a real difference.” For a £15,000 grant, this means projects where this amount represents significant support rather than a drop in a large budget.

1. Insecure funding situation: The Director has noted that smaller charities "more often than not...are in the vulnerable position of not knowing where next year's funding will come from." Being in this position makes you a priority.

1. London-based services: Absolute requirement. Nearly half of rough sleepers in England are in London and the South East, which is why the charity concentrates its efforts there.

Types of projects funded (examples from recent grants):

• Providence Row: “Out of Hospital, Off the Streets” project (£12,500)
• The Connection at St Martin's: Night center (£12,500)
• The Passage: Mentoring programme (£12,500)
• Marylebone Project: Women's services (£16,500)

The charity's stated philosophy:

• “Make sure that your money gets to where it will have a real impact”
• “Funding some amazing projects at some great smaller charities that offer direct support”
• Focus on services that help people “move off the streets and rebuild their lives”

What makes the difference: Having existing credibility in London's homelessness sector, delivering hands-on services that change individual lives, and being known (even indirectly) to the Director through his sector networks.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - Streets of London identifies projects proactively through sector knowledge rather than accepting applications, so traditional grant writing won't apply here

• Smaller is better - If your organization has a large profile, substantial fundraising capacity, or secure multi-year funding, you're not the target demographic; this charity specifically supports smaller organizations struggling with insecure funding

• Direct support is non-negotiable - Only organizations providing hands-on, direct services to homeless individuals (drop-ins, outreach, therapy, housing support, skills training) will be considered; advocacy, research, or indirect services don't fit the model

• London geography is essential - Services must be delivered in London; the charity concentrates all efforts in the capital where nearly half of England's rough sleepers are located

• Sector visibility matters more than applications - Being known and respected in London's homelessness sector, having connections or reputation that reaches the Director's network, and demonstrating tangible impact will be more valuable than any written proposal

• Grant size is meaningful but modest - At £12,500-£25,000 (typically £15,000), grants are designed to make a significant difference to smaller charities rather than fund major programs at large organizations; position your organization accordingly

• Relationship building is long-term - With no application cycle, building relationships in the homelessness sector and ensuring your organization's work is visible to sector leaders and front-line workers is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

• Welsh Government
• The Charities Aid Foundation
• THE HEALTH FOUNDATION
• The London Community Foundation
• Denise Coates Foundation
• The Mercers' Charitable Foundation
• Z V M Rangoonwala Foundation
• THE NATIONWIDE FOUNDATION
• E B M Charitable Trust
• FRAZER TRUST
• Joseph Levy Foundation
• The Tompkins Foundation
• Chapman Charitable Trust
• The Invesco Cares Foundation
• Wates Foundation
• London Catalyst
• The Cecil Rosen Foundation
• Google
• THE FOYLE FOUNDATION
• DOGS TRUST

References

1. Charity Commission Register of Charities - Streets of London (1155242). Accessed 27 December 2025. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5041007

1. Streets of London - About Us. Accessed 27 December 2025. https://www.streetsoflondon.org.uk/about-us

1. Streets of London - Projects We Support. Accessed 27 December 2025. https://www.streetsoflondon.org.uk/projects

1. Charity Commission - Streets of London Trustees Information. Accessed 27 December 2025. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5041007/trustees

1. Graffiti Street - "We chat to 'Streets of London' Charity Founder Ian Fothringham." Accessed 27 December 2025. https://www.graffitistreet.com/we-chat-to-streets-of-london-charity-founder-ian-fothringham/

1. Charity Commission - Streets of London Accounts and Annual Returns. Accessed 27 December 2025. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5041007/accounts-and-annual-returns

1. Streets of London Main Website. Accessed 27 December 2025. http://www.streetsoflondon.org.uk/