Agenda item

Report of the BHE Chief Funding Director

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Funding Director presenting seven applications for decision as part of the first round of the Propel programme, a funder collaboration stewarded by London Funders which iterated the successes of the London Community Response, a pioneering and widely celebrated vehicle for funder collaboration in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme was also intended to extend collaboration beyond the emergency context, to provide strategic and long-term funding at scale, continuing to test and learn from progressive approaches to funding. The Chief Funding Director introduced the report and presented the Propel programme, also outlining the proposals for consideration by the Committee.

In response to a question from a Member regarding the number of proposed grants relative to the number of proposed applications, the Chief Funding Director explained the process by which applications had been prioritised and then assessed with regards to their eligibility, with it being aimed to aware around £15m in this round of funding. The Chief Funding Director added that there would be further work undertaken to ensure that organisations understood the criteria, particularly around being user-led and doing systems change work, for future rounds. The Committee was advised that officers had noted applications which had not been progressed, but which may be approved for regular Bridging Divides funding, and would communicate with these organisations to have their applications redirected.

The Chief Funding Director further advised that timelines for the programme had been adjusted during 2022 in response to the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, but officers had minimised the impact of this and had given organisations as much time as possible to submit their applications. The Chief Funding Director confirmed that CBT’s timescales compared reasonably well to other funders within the programme.

In response to a question from a Member, the Chief Funding Director gave the Committee further explanation around what funders expected with regards to being an equity-led organisation, and how this had been assessed and used to prioritise applications.

The Chair then thanked officers for their work in getting the programme to this stage, before drawing Members’ attention to the recommendations, which were agreed.

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

(i)            Endorse to the BHE Board the recommendations for funding of the following four grants (totalling £4,128,000):

a.    £1,073,400 over three years to the Bridge Renewal Trust (charity no. 1131941);

b.    £989,600 over three years to Inclusion London (charity no. 1157376);

c.     £1,216,600 over three years to The Ubele Initiative (company no. 09035399); and,

d.    £848,400 over three years to Young Westminster Foundation (charity no. 1169255).

(ii)           Approve the following three recommendations (totalling £1,398,000):

a.    £398,000 over three years to Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network (charity no. 1058631);

b.    £500,000 over three years to Race on the Agenda (charity no. 1064975); and,

c.     £500,000 over three years to Women’s Environmental Network (charity no. 1010397).

(iii)          Approve the rejection of one grant to Community Barnet (charity no. 1071035).