Related
What are some of the key categories/areas you fund?
Founded in 2004, the London Legal Support Trust is an independent charity funding free legal advice organisations across London and the South East. Working collaboratively with partners, we provide grant funding and support the development of sector infrastructure.
Each year, we support over 100 organisations through a combination of financial and non-financial assistance.
The free legal advice agencies we fund work across a wide range of areas, including:
- Preventing homelessness
- Supporting survivors of domestic abuse and violence
- Securing welfare benefits and financial entitlements
- Supporting the provision of immigration and asylum advice.
2. What’s something exciting/innovative that you’re currently working on?
We are excited to be a part of the Family Financial Resilience Partnership (FFRP), a collaboration between the GLA, London Citizens Advice and the London Legal Support Trust. The programme brings together local authorities with generalist and specialist advice agencies to deliver free, independent advice in 12 London boroughs to thousands of families through Best Start Family Hubs and Children’s Centres. A strength of the partnership is that it is embedding advice in places families already frequent and feel comfortable in. By locating support within trusted community settings, the programme removes barriers to access and ensures families receive timely help where they naturally seek support.
We are delighted that some of the work funded through the Robust Safety Net Propel partnership, will be continuing through the recently announced long-term grants. Systems change requires long-term meaningful funding, and we are happy to see the focus on responding to the advice workforce crisis, while challenging inequalities.
3. What’s one piece of learning/insight that you’d like to share with other London Funders’ members?
We would like to emphasise the value of collaboration to drive innovation and sustainability. Through the Advice Workforce Development Fund (a collaborative programme dedicated to strengthening and sustaining the social welfare advice sector in London) programme, we have learned first-hand how collaborative funding and problem-solving can deepen impact and work towards system change. Pooling resources allows funders to work more sustainably, funding deeper, longer, and more equitably while also reducing barriers for organisations and easing pressures on them to make multiple applications and manage multiple grants for different funders.
4. What do you value most about being a part of London Funders?
We really value being a part of a shared infrastructure that helps us collectively respond to shifts in the wider social funding landscape. We have benefited from partnerships developed through London Funders, and membership has provided a meaningful opportunity to connect with others and share valuable learning.
We look forward to seeing the additional benefits that will no doubt come as part of the Funders Together and 360 Giving developments.
5. Looking ahead, share one thing that is on your radar. What should we prioritise as a network of funders?
We are increasingly concerned about the financial strain on frontline advice organisations, and the growing pressure created by shifts in funding practices.
As a funder, we aim to prioritise:
- Balancing systems‑change investment with sustained, core funding for frontline advice services that produce evidence required for the system change.
- Recognising and funding the true value and cost of advice work. Advisors are supporting people with complex needs that cannot be met without long‑term, stable financial investment, implementing various recommendations emerged through AWDF collaborative work.
- Coordinating across the sector to avoid duplication, minimise administrative burden, and ensure funding shifts do not unintentionally destabilise essential services.
6. What’s an issue or area you’d like to discuss with other members?
We are keen to explore Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) approaches. We are looking to develop a new framework that complements our more relational and trust-based approach to funding and partnership working. We would be interested to hear how others are doing the same.
In addition to MEAL approaches, we would also welcome discussion on how we can collectively influence the wider funding landscape (including government and statutory funding) to secure long-term funding in the advice sector and to ensure it is recognised as a critical area requiring sustained funding as well as how we can influence funder practice through recommendations emerged from several sector based reports to respond to workforce crisis within the advice sector.
7. Connect with us about:
- How to collaborate with other funders
- The value of funding advice within the social and political climate
- Our role bringing together advice agencies and the funding sector in London and the South East
To connect with LLST, please contact [email protected].
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].