Funding organisations from across London are uniting to create a £100m fund to support voluntary and community groups to drive change and tackle inequality.
Over the next ten years, Propel will support organisations led by and for disadvantaged groups, including young people, women and girls, LGBTQ+ communities, deaf and disabled people, and communities experiencing racial inequality.
The growing collaboration represents public, private, and independent funders, including Bloomberg, City Bridge Trust – the City of London Corporation’s charity funder - The National Lottery Community Fund, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and advice funders co-ordinated by London Legal Support Trust.
London Funders – the membership body for funders in the capital – is powering the collaboration, building on their experience of co-ordinating large scale funder collaborations during the pandemic.
The first grants available under Propel will help organisations support young people, build stronger communities and support sustainable advice services, staffed by people rooted in the communities they serve.
Organisations have until Friday, 9 December to apply for grants under the first wave of funding, with grants to be announced in March and April 2023.
To ensure a safer, greener, and fairer city, Propel partners are encouraging more funders and corporations to get on board to provide communities with the resources and capacity they need to drive long-term change.
Giles Shilson, City Bridge Trust Chairman, said: “This ambitious new initiative, which supports our mission of tackling disadvantage and marginalisation across London, will target funding where it is needed most and help communities across the capital to address the issues which affect them.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted to join with organisations across London to create this fund to help tackle inequality in our city, with investment from City Hall being used to support young people. This is part of our ongoing work to provide positive opportunities for young Londoners, particularly those at risk of getting caught up in crime. We all have a role to play in building a safer and fairer London for everyone, and by working together we can ensure that this help reaches those who need it the most.”
John Mothersole, Chair of The National Lottery Community Fund for England, said: “We’re proud to be working alongside the Propel partners to award this vital funding which will support London’s communities to tackle challenges and make the changes that matter to them. Thanks to National Lottery players, grants awarded through Propel will help to build a stronger, more collaborative civil society in London, which will in turn allow communities to thrive.”
Nezahat Cihan, Chief Executive of London Legal Support Trust, said: “Due to the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, there's been a detrimental impact on people’s well-being. More people are turning to advice agencies to access justice and support. A sustainable and healthy advice workforce with roots in the local community is therefore crucial and the Propel funding addresses this.”
London Funders’ Chief Executive James Banks said: “Uniting all the Propel partners is a shared belief that just as during the pandemic, the big issues facing the capital can best be addressed when funders, charities, and community groups come together to pool their resources and experience.”
Jemma Read, Head of Global Corporate Philanthropy at Bloomberg said: "We believe in the power of collaboration to strengthen the communities in which we live and work. This is why we are proud to be part of the Propel partnership at a time when many of London's most vibrant and diverse communities are facing acute funding shortages."
About Propel
The Propel initiative has grown from a commitment that funders in London made to build on learning from the covid-19 funding programmes of the London Community Response.
Supported by Bloomberg, City Bridge Trust, Greater London Authority, John Lyon’s Charity, and the National Lottery Community Fund, London Funders have been working with public and independent funders as well as the capital’s equity infrastructure organisations (HEAR Network, Inclusion London, LGBT+ Consortium, The Ubele Initiative and Women’s Resource Centre) to develop Propel.
Read more about the Propel initiative here: www.londonpropel.org.uk
About London Funders
London Funders is the network for funders and investors in London’s civil society. We are the only place that brings together public, private and independent funders to build a better London by taking action on what matters to our city and our communities.
London Funders set up and coordinated the London Community Response, an unprecedented funder collaboration which saw 67 funders coming together to support London’s civil society through the covid-19 crisis, distributing nearly £60m to over 3,3000 groups.
How funders can get involved in Propel
If you're a funder who shares the ambition of developing bold, innovative, and creative programmes, sharing risks together to learn, unlearn and achieve more than the sum of our parts, then we want to hear from you. If you’re interested in joining us for future waves of funding or want to explore coming with us on this journey for the years ahead, then please let us know and we'll be happy to arrange a call to discuss further.
