The London Community Foundation

Charity Number: 1091263

Annual Expenditure: £13.1M
Throughout England

Contact Info

Website: www.londoncf.org.uk

Phone: 020 7582 5117

Email: info@londoncf.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £11.5 million (2023-24)
  • Success Rate: ~70% (London Community Response portal)
  • Decision Time: 48 hours (London Community Response); varies by fund
  • Grant Range: £1,000 - £20,000 (varies by fund)
  • Geographic Focus: Pan-London (32 boroughs)
  • Average Grant: £14,738

Contact Details

Website: www.londoncf.org.uk

Email: info@londoncf.org.uk / applications@londoncf.org.uk

Phone: 020 7582 5117

Pre-application Support: Organizations with questions about the application process should contact applications@londoncf.org.uk. Sign up for monthly e-bulletin for funding updates.

Overview

The London Community Foundation (registered charity 1091263) was formed in 2012, building on earlier foundations including the South East London Community Foundation (1995) and Capital Community Foundation (2007). The organization awarded £11.5 million in grants across London's 32 boroughs in 2023-24, with an average grant size of £14,738. The Foundation works to improve the lives of London's most disadvantaged people by connecting donors with small, local charities and community groups tackling issues including child poverty, unemployment, isolation, homelessness, domestic violence, and gang crime. Led by CEO Paul Buchanan MBE (appointed April 2024) and chaired by Russell Prior OBE, the Foundation maintains a notably high success rate of approximately 70% through its London Community Response portal. In 2023-24, 20% of funding focused on children and young people, while 29% supported Black and Minoritised Ethnic communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation administers numerous funds on behalf of different donors, with availability changing throughout the year:

  • Greener Futures Fund: £5,000 - £20,000 for up to 12 months (community-led climate action)
  • Greenwich Peninsula Community Fund: £5,000 - £20,000 for 12 months (social, economic, environmental impact projects) - part of £1.9 million total fund
  • Elephant & Castle Community Fund: £3,000 - £12,000 for 12 months
  • Thamesmead Community Fund: Up to £3,000 (community connection and support activities)
  • Lambeth Wellbeing Fund: £1,000 - £5,000 per year for up to 12 months
  • Wimbledon Foundation Community Fund: Various amounts (£4.2 million awarded through 433 grants over last decade)
  • MOPAC Violence Against Women and Girls Cost of Living Fund: £1 million distributed to 41 specialist VAWG organizations
  • Acts20:35 Fund: Launched 2024, focuses on food insecurity in Hammersmith and Fulham

Application Methods: Mixed - varies by fund. Some operate on rolling basis with daily assessment, others have fixed deadlines. The London Community Response portal processes applications with 48-hour turnaround. Payments made twice daily to successful applicants.

Priority Areas

  • Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) prevention and support
  • Food poverty and insecurity (including summer holiday activity and food programs)
  • Children and young people (20% of funding)
  • Black and Minoritised Ethnic communities (29% of funding)
  • Youth employment and skills development
  • Community health and wellbeing
  • Local climate action and environmental sustainability
  • Homelessness support
  • Projects supporting people on low incomes or disproportionately impacted by cost-of-living crisis due to systemic inequality
  • Community projects with positive social, economic, and environmental impact
  • Building on local strengths and celebrating cultural diversity

What They Don't Fund

  • Retrospective spending: Costs already incurred (unless specific exception in fund guidelines)
  • Individual sponsorship or redistribution: Grants to individuals or redistribution to other organizations (unless explicitly permitted in specific programme guidelines)
  • Exclusionary activities: Activities where people are excluded on basis of religion, sexual orientation, sex, or ethnicity (unless issue is group-specific)
  • Organizations with paid trustees: Unless evidence of Charity Commission approval provided and referenced in governing document
  • Personal benefit: No personal benefit can be attached to grants
  • Organizations with governance issues: Those with two years of late submissions to Charity Commission/Companies House within last two completed financial years
  • Organizations with financial instability: Those with two years of net current liabilities within two most recent completed financial years

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

  • Russell Prior OBE - Chair
  • Paul Buchanan MBE - CEO (joined April 2024, awarded MBE in 2025 New Year's honours for over 25 years supporting charities)
  • Simon Theobald - Finance Director
  • Nick Diamond - Director of Development

Trustees

  • Fiona Bickley
  • John Hume
  • Owen Jenkins
  • Satnam Sagoo
  • Urmi Dutta-Roy
  • Veesh Sharma

Key Programme Staff

  • Sam Fox - Head of Grants and Impact
  • Sarah Easby - Head of Grants and Impact
  • Leigh Ogden - Grants Programme Lead
  • Richard Horsnell - Grants Programme Lead
  • Nimat Jaffer - VAWG Programme Manager

Leadership Quotes

Paul Buchanan MBE on his approach to the sector: "Not one day have I thought about recognition, because that is not why we give our time to this brilliant and inspirational sector. I think we just want to use whatever skills or assets we have to make people's lives better. That has always been my approach. And right now, I am utterly focused on helping The London Community Foundation rise to the ever-increasing challenges that Londoners face."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Core Eligibility Requirements:

  • Organizations with income over £5,000 must be registered with The Charity Commission or relevant regulator (Companies House, CIC regulator, or Financial Conduct Authority) or be in process of registration
  • Bank account in same name as organization with minimum of two unrelated signatories
  • Safeguarding policy reviewed in last 12 months, meeting LCF's mandatory requirements
  • Governing document appropriate to legal structure, including asset lock or equivalent clause
  • All funded activities must be charitable (not for profit)
  • No outstanding monitoring from previous LCF grants

Required Documentation:

  • Governing document
  • Annual accounts from last completed financial year (or management/draft accounts if accounts submitted more than 18 months ago)
  • Safeguarding policy meeting LCF checklist requirements
  • If under one year old: income and expenditure forecast template

Application Methods:

  • Specific portal/process varies by fund
  • London Community Response portal available for emergency/urgent funding
  • Check individual fund pages for specific application methods
  • Applications assessed daily by Programme Managers for most funds
  • Over 60 funders sit behind the London Community Response portal, providing multiple funding opportunities through single application

Decision Timeline

  • London Community Response Fund: 48-hour turnaround on decisions from submission
  • If decisions take longer than 48 hours, may require additional information or clarification
  • Programme Managers assess submitted applications daily
  • Streamlined electronic grant agreement process
  • Payments made twice daily to successful applicants
  • Timeline varies by individual fund - check specific fund guidelines

Success Rates

  • London Community Response portal: Nearly 70% success rate - notably high for grant applications
  • Unsuccessful applications through London Community Response go back to portal where other funders can review and decide to fund
  • Over £57 million distributed through London Community Response portal
  • Specific success rates for individual funds not publicly available

Reapplication Policy

Organizations must complete all conditions from any previous LCF grants with no current outstanding monitoring at time of application. If application unsuccessful through London Community Response, it means no funders behind the portal can fund the organization at that time. Specific reapplication waiting periods or restrictions for unsuccessful applications not publicly detailed - contact applications@londoncf.org.uk for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Funder

On AI Usage: “LCF is currently not against the use of AI by applicants if utilised sensibly. However, we would urge you to use caution when you are considering using AI to generate answers in grant applications and reports.” Note that LCF team does not currently use AI in grant-making process.

Due Diligence: All applications undergo social media and Google checks during the application process, so ensure online presence accurately reflects your organization's work.

Safeguarding: Must have safeguarding policy reflecting mandatory requirements outlined in LCF's safeguarding policy checklist - this is non-negotiable.

Projects Recently Funded

  • VAWG Support: 41 specialist Violence Against Women and Girls organizations received funding from £1 million MOPAC fund
  • Climate Action: Community-led environmental projects through Greener Futures Fund
  • Food Security: Acts20:35 funding projects from fruit and vegetable vouchers to community meals using waste food
  • Community Health: Lambeth Health Inequality Community Fund supporting health equity
  • Local Infrastructure: Wimbledon Foundation Community Funds supporting local Merton and Wandsworth projects
  • Youth Programs: Summer Holiday Activity and Food Programme tackling food poverty during school holidays

Language and Terminology

The Foundation emphasizes:

  • “Disadvantaged Londoners” and “most in need”
  • “Community-led” and “local strengths”
  • “Systemic inequality” and “disproportionately impacted”
  • “Positive social, economic, and environmental impact”
  • “Cultural diversity”
  • Focus on specific outcomes and measurable impact

Standing Out Tips

  1. Demonstrate local community connection: Show deep understanding of and connection to the specific London borough(s) you serve
  2. Focus on disadvantaged groups: Clearly articulate how your work reaches London's most disadvantaged, particularly those facing systemic inequality
  3. Be specific about outcomes: Use concrete metrics and evidence of impact rather than general statements
  4. Show organizational readiness: Ensure all governance documentation is current and compliant before applying
  5. Leverage the portal system: For London Community Response, understand that even if one funder declines, your application can be seen by 60+ other funders
  6. Align with current priorities: Check which funds are currently open and ensure your work aligns with specific fund criteria
  7. Complete monitoring promptly: If you've received previous LCF grants, ensure all monitoring is complete and submitted on time

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • High success rate opportunity: ~70% success rate through London Community Response portal is exceptionally high - this is an accessible funder for well-prepared organizations
  • Multiple routes to funding: Even unsuccessful applications go to 60+ funders through the portal system, providing additional opportunities
  • Fast decisions available: 48-hour turnaround for some funds means quick access to funding for urgent needs
  • Governance is critical: Late filings to Charity Commission/Companies House or poor financial management will disqualify you - address these before applying
  • Safeguarding is mandatory: Non-negotiable requirement for current safeguarding policy meeting LCF standards
  • Stay informed: Sign up for monthly e-bulletin as funds change throughout the year based on donor partnerships
  • Think local: Strong emphasis on community-led, locally-rooted organizations serving specific London boroughs
  • Focus on inequality: Prioritize applications demonstrating work with communities facing systemic disadvantage and disproportionate impact from cost-of-living crisis
  • Multiple fund strategies: Research all open funds as you may qualify for multiple opportunities
  • Speed matters for some funds: For rolling funds with daily assessment and twice-daily payments, being application-ready means faster access to funds

Similar Funders

These funders frequently fund the same charities:

References

  1. The London Community Foundation official website - Available grants page. https://londoncf.org.uk/apply/available-grants (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - Eligibility criteria. https://londoncf.org.uk/apply/eligibility (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - Resources for applicants. https://londoncf.org.uk/apply/resources (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - Our Year 2023-2024. https://londoncf.org.uk/our-impact/our-year-23-24 (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - Our team. https://londoncf.org.uk/about-us/our-team (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - CEO recognised in the New Year's honours list. https://londoncf.org.uk/blog/ceo-recognised-in-the-new-years-honours-list (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - Apply for urgent funding via London Community Response. https://londoncf.org.uk/blog/apply-for-urgent-funding-london-community-response (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. UK Charity Commission - THE LONDON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION charity overview (Registration number 1091263). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1091263 (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. 360Giving GrantNav - The London Community Foundation. https://grantnav.threesixtygiving.org/org/GB-CHC-1091263 (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. The London Community Foundation - Who we are. https://londoncf.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are (Accessed: January 2025)
  1. Wikipedia - The London Community Foundation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_London_Community_Foundation (Accessed: January 2025)