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What are some of the key categories/areas you fund?
We are primarily a place-based funder, working across Westminster; Chester and surrounding areas; Lancashire and its surrounding districts; and Sutherland, areas where the Grosvenor family has long-standing associations. Our focus is early intervention, identifying and addressing risks before they escalate, so children and young people get the support they need at the moments it matters most. We fund activities for those aged 0–25 across four themes: Education and Career Readiness, Healthy Diet, Land and Nature, and Sports and Physical Activity.
What’s something exciting/innovative that you’re currently working on?
We have worked alongside Grosvenor Property UK to co-create Fivefields, a modern, purpose-built co-working space in London Victoria, offering a shared home for charities to work, connect and collaborate around common challenges.
Developed by Grosvenor Property UK, in collaboration with the Westminster Foundation, and operated by x+why, Fivefields is a flexible co-working space designed with sustainability and accessibility in mind. It includes meeting rooms, event space, breakout areas and a roof terrace, and has been intentionally created to encourage charities to share infrastructure and build relationships — not just co-locate.
We also provide grant support to help eligible organisations contribute to their membership costs, so that workspace can be part of strengthening capacity, wellbeing and impact rather than an added pressure.
What’s one piece of learning/insight that you’d like to share with other London Funders’ members?
In Westminster, we’re hearing from grant holders that engaging local primary and secondary schools can be challenging. This is happening within a wider context of sustained demographic change and declining student enrolment numbers which are placing increasing pressure on schools’ capacity and priorities. As a result, many schools appear to be at- or beyond- capacity, so even strong offers of support can struggle to get traction.
Where engagement does work well, it often comes through trusted local relationships, a track record of reliable delivery, and the ability to offer a “full package” that is genuinely easy for schools to take up. In particular, delivery models that minimise additional time and administrative demands for already-stretched staff are far more likely to succeed.
What do you value most about being a part of London Funders?
Being part of London Funders provides a trusted space to learn, collaborate and reflect alongside peers who share a commitment to improving outcomes for London’s communities. We value the opportunity to exchange honest insights and learning, and the collective voice it provides to influence systems, policy and practice. Most importantly, it enables us to strengthen our place‑based work in Westminster by staying connected to wider London‑wide conversations, challenges and solutions.
Looking ahead, share one thing that is on your radar. What should we prioritise as a network of funders?
One thing on our radar is how, as funders, we can make collaboration easier in practice, not just in principle. As pressures on frontline organisations continue to grow, we believe the network should prioritise creating more opportunities to share learning quickly, coordinate activity where it makes sense, and reduce duplication for communities and delivery partners. The more we can align around what works (and what doesn’t), the more effective our collective funding will be.
What’s an issue or area you’d like to discuss with other members? (Something you’d like more information about)
As our work spans Education and Career Readiness, Healthy Diet, Land and Nature, and Sports and Physical Activity, we would welcome opportunities to connect with other members working in these areas. In particular, we would value themed sessions or informal peer groups that help funders share approaches, identify gaps, and explore partnership opportunities, especially where issues cut across themes, such as the links between food, wellbeing, nature and learning.
Connect with us about:
- Participatory Grant-Making (and practical ways to do this well)
- Funder Plus (working with others to support this)
- Funder collaboration (including place-based partnerships and shared approaches)
The Member Spotlight is taken from our monthly member-exclusive newsletter, the Member Memo. The newsletter contains targeted information about upcoming events and updates from across the membership, with opportunities to connect and collaborate with other members. If you are a London Funders' member and would like to sign up, please email [email protected].