Agenda and minutes

The Chair opened the meeting by welcoming Members and officers, as well as any members of the public or stakeholders observing the meeting via YouTube.

Apologies for lateness were received from Jannat Hossain.

David Farnsworth declared an interest in Item 9 by virtue of his being Chair of London Funders and advised that he would not participate on these items.

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 11 September 2023.

RESOLVED – That the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 11 September 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

Report of the Town Clerk

The Committee received a list of outstanding actions and noted the updates provided in respect of the items listed. The Chief Funding Director advised that average turnaround times for funding applications had reduced from 6.8 months to 4.3 months, with small grant applications also reducing, adding that officers would continue to look at turnaround times as part of the End-to-End review. The Chair suggested that the action be kept on the outstanding actions list for the time being for monitoring.

RESOLVED – That the outstanding actions list be noted.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director providing an

update on key areas of activity and outlining upcoming activities. The Chief

Funding Director introduced the report and drew Members’ attention to the key

points, first advising that the charity’s launch of the new working name and brand had been successful, being well-received by the funding sector and enabling better understanding and a clearer narrative for the charity as a funder.

Social Investments

The Committee noted that a Social Investment Policy for the charity was agreed at the October meeting of the CBF Investment Committee, with the first investment recommendation to be considered by the Committee later on the agenda. In response to a question from a Member, the Chief Funding Director advised that with the recruitment of a Social Investment Analyst, training would be provided to the Funding team for assessing opportunities for social investment amongst the charity’s funded organisations and the wider sector.

Corporate Volunteering

The Managing Director of CBF advised that discussions were underway with corporate HR regarding the now-vacant Corporate Volunteering Manager post, and that it was hoped to build on the Philanthropy Director’s foundational work in this area.

RESOLVED – That the Funding Committee of the City Bridge Foundation Board, in discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of City Bridge Foundation and solely in the charity’s best interests, note the contents of the report.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Board considered a report of the Chief Funding Director and the CBF & Charities Finance Director presenting the 2024/25 proposed grants commitments budget to the Funding Committee of the CBF Board. The Chair introduced the item, thanking officers for the clarity of the report before inviting comment from Members.

In response to a question from a Member, the CBF & Charities Finance Director confirmed budget provision for the Prince’s Trust and LocalMotion was not included beyond 2023/24, as the final instalment of the Prince’s Trust grant had been made in the current financial year. For LocalMotion, as well as the suicide prevention funding programme, the full commitment was to be budgeted in the 2024/25 financial year, although it would be drawn down over that and subsequent years.

With regards to operational costs, the Chief Funding Director advised that these had fluctuated due to the additional allocation of £200m to Bridging Divides and increased volume of grantmaking consequent to this, but would reduce once this additional funds had been allocated. The Committee was advised that benchmarking against other comparable funders and further monitoring of operational costs would be undertaken in the context of the charity’s future funding direction.

RESOLVED – That the Funding Committee, in discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of City Bridge Foundation (CBF) and solely in the charity’s best interests:

i)             Review and recommend the CBF proposed grants budget for 2024/25 for inclusion in the charity’s overall Budget to be presented to the CBF Board in February 2024; and

ii)            Agree that minor amendments to the 2024/25 grants budget arising during the budget setting process be delegated to the CBF Chief Funding Director and CBF & Charities Finance Director.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director setting out the journey of the LocalMotion programme so far and presenting a request to recommend an additional funding allocation of £5m for the 2024-2031 phase of delivery to the CBF Board, plus ‘in principle’ approval for CBF to host up to four members of the LocalMotion central team, pending legal work. The Chief Funding Director introduced the report, outlining the LocalMotion programme and its aims before providing an update on recent work on the programme. The Chief Funding Director then praised and gave thanks to the volunteers attached to the programme, before inviting William Hoyle to address the Committee.

William Hoyle then reflected on the programme so far, commenting that the process had been complicated and difficult, but had gradually become clearer over time, with momentum particularly building after the return of in-person meetings following Covid-19 restrictions. The programme had built a growing sense of potential for reinvention and place renewal and had demonstrated what could be achieved with the collective power of community, as well as a platform for sustainable long-term change. William Hoyle added that meaningful relationships across the programme were driving the potential for transformational change and that he was hopeful and optimistic about the next phase of the programme.

The Chair then gave thanks to William Hoyle for his contributions to LocalMotion on behalf of CBF, adding that he had joined the place visit in Enfield, which had demonstrated the fantastic collaboration on the programme and importance of listening to the organisations involved, before inviting comments from Members.

In response to a question from a Member, the Chief Funding Director confirmed that the £5m funding over 8 years represented CBF’s contribution to the programme, with the remainder of the £24m total funding for the programme

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director providing an update on the Anchor Programme and confirming the budget allocation recommended for the second round in spring 2024 as £13.9m, incorporating the £3.9m remaining from the original allocation plus a total uplift of an additional £10m. The Chief Funding Director introduced the report and highlighted the key points for Members, also recalling the Committee’s discussion in September in which officers were asked to assess whether the programme would benefit from further budget uplift to the £5m agreed at that meeting. Consequently, a further £5m allocation was proposed, making a total uplift of £10m and overall programme allocation of £30m.

In response to a question from a Member, the Chief Funding Director advised that website communications and pre-application webinars would be used to make as clear as possible to funded organisations that this would be the final round of the programme. The webinars would also be used to communicate eligibility as clearly as possible, given it was intended to narrow the criteria.

The Committee was advised that TSIP had been engaged as learning partner to reflect on Round One, which should help with this. The Chief Funding Director advised that more time would be allowed for the sifting of applications and for the assessment of applications by Funding Managers, based on learnings from the first round. It was planned to launch Round Two in May, with recommendations to be brought to the December 2024 meeting of the Committee.

The Chief Funding Director confirmed that it was intended to retain the two-stage application process, with a lighter-touch Expression of Interest form at the first stage hopefully avoiding undue burden on applicants. However, feedback from the sector would be invited on Round One which would be taken into consideration.

A Member

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee received a report of the Chief Funding Director providing an update on the Propel Programme, a ten-year funder collaboration co-ordinated by London Funders to which CBF has allocated £30m. The Chief Funding Director introduced the report, advising the Committee of progress on the programme so far, and outlining the learning from funders and equity partners.

A Member pondered how learning from Propel might be used for other programmes, and invited reflection from officers, also noting that the combination of independent and political funders carried potentially difficult tensions. The Chief Funding Director advised that learning from the programme so far had been a positive challenge, adding that the charity’s future funding direction work would provide an opportunity to look at learning in the round and assess the value of overarching versus specific learning partners.

RESOLVED – That the Funding Committee of the City Bridge Foundation Board, in discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of City Bridge Foundation and solely in the charity’s best interests, note the report.

To note a summary of the Bridging Divides programme.

The Committee noted a summary of the Bridging Divides programme.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director requesting funding of £1,090,000 be awarded to Children in Need (CiN) for use toward onward grants in the BBC Children in Need Child Poverty Impact model, as an Alliance Partnership. The Chief Funding Director introduced the report and presented the proposal to the Committee, also advising that this would be the final recommendation of the Alliance Partnerships programme. The Committee was advised of an error within the table at paragraph 30 and noted that expenditure during 2024 should be £54.5m rather than £12.5m as stated, with the impact of that change making total reserves £36m with an £11m deficit on an accruals basis, and free reserves of £22.9m. It was noted that, if agreed, the proposal would be put to the CBF Board for approval.

The Chair commented that it would be positive for CBF to contribute to the scheme, which was substantive, and invited comments from Members. A Member commented that the statistics around poverty were alarming and noted that they were supported by a recent report from the Resolution Foundation. The Member encouraged officers to consider how corporate organisations could be engaged in this work. The Chief Funding Director confirmed that this would be taken into consideration, seeking maximum opportunity to leverage the funding.

RESOLVED – That the Funding Committee of the City Bridge Foundation Board, in the discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of City Bridge Foundation and solely in the charity’s best interests:

i)     Endorse to the City Bridge Foundation Board a grant of £1,090,000, as an Alliance Partnership, to BBC Children in Need [Charity no: 802052] for onward grantmaking to organisations benefitting Londoners in the Child Poverty Impact model in years 0-4.

A payment schedule will be drawn up, allowing

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee received a report of the Chief Funding Director providing details of funds approved and rejected under delegated authority since the last meeting; the remaining 2023/2024 grants budget; grants spend to date and for this meeting by London Borough compared with the Multiple Index of Deprivation, and any grant variations that have been approved under delegated authority. The Chair introduced the item and noted the list of rejected applications under the Anchor programme, as referenced earlier.

In response to a question from a Member regrading Media Trust, the Chief Funding Director advised that Media Trust was an important partner for CBF, with colleagues regularly attending Media Trust events. The CBF Communications & Engagement Director confirmed that CBF utilised a joined-up approach with Media Trust and used Media Trust content on the charity’s social media channels.

RESOLVED – That the Funding Committee of the City Bridge Foundation Board, in the discharge of functions for the City Corporation as Trustee of City Bridge Foundation and solely in the charity’s best interests, receive this report and note its contents.

A Member, noting the use of government data within the report at Item 11, commented that funded organisations were likely to try and influence the policies of the main political parties in the lead-up to the next General Election, with a view to affecting manifestos. The Member noted that CBF could not fund political parties but asked to what extent CBF could fund resources for campaigning on this basis. The Chair noted that there were strong Charity Commission guidelines on involvement in political activity which would have to be considered. The Chief Funding Director advised that this would be taken away with a more detailed response to be provided for Members.

MOTION – With the Court of Common Council for the City Corporation as Trustee

of Bridge House Estates (Charity No. 1035628) having decided to treat these

meetings as though Part VA and Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

applied to them, it now be moved that the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that their consideration will in each case disclose exempt information of the description in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A, being information relating to the financial and business affairs of any person (including the City Corporation as Trustee of the charity) which it would not be in the charity’s best interests to disclose.

MOTION – With the Court of Common Council for the City Corporation as Trustee of Bridge House Estates (Charity No. 1035628) having decided to treat these meetings as though Part VA and Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 applied to them, it now be moved that the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that their consideration will in each case disclose exempt information of the description in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A, being information relating to the financial and business affairs of any person (including the City Corporation as Trustee of the charity) which it would not be in the charity’s best interests to disclose.

The Committee welcomed Catalyst, a current CBF grantee that aim to empower charities in adapting to the evolving needs and behaviours of their communities by catalysing the transformation of civil society through digital, data, and design, to present and discuss their work.

Catalyst then gave the Committee an introduction to their organisation before outlining their various programmes of work. The Committee heard that despite the increasingly digital world, there was a persistent digital divide in society, with a significant funding gap for digital projects. A coordinated systemic response was needed to rectify this and Catalyst had worked on building a network of non-profit organisations to create digital infrastructure for the sector, as well as providing digital support through experts.

Catalyst’s current focus was on reviewing need which they would address through a new vision and mission, centred on shaping liberatory technology for just and regenerative futures, and centring community needs in design, digital and data decision-making through building collective power. Having been incubated by the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST), Catalyst would be diverging and establishing as a separate organisation in 2024. The Committee was presented with Catalyst’s ambitions values and guiding principles, noting the opportunities available to lead the way in technology within the sector, particularly in the context of the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which was key to approach in the right way.

In response to questions from Members, Catalyst explained and discussed their vision and understanding of regenerative futures, and how they captured data to inform their work. The Committee then thanked Catalyst for their excellent presentation and for joining the meeting.

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2023.

The Committee considered the non-public minutes of the previous meeting.

Report of the CBF Chief Operating Officer

The Committee considered a report of the CBF Chief Operating Officer.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee received a report of the Chief Funding Director.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee received a report of the Chief Funding Director.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director.

Report of the Chief Funding Director

The Committee received a report of the Chief Funding Director.

There was other business.