Agenda item

To receive a report outlining the City Bridge Trust’s revised arrangements in respect of awarding proactive grants for strategic initiatives.

THE CITY BRIDGE TRUST COMMITTEE

(Jeremy Mayhew)

26 November 2015

Proactive Grants for Strategic Initiatives

In the light of changes to the City Bridge Trust’s operating environment, in particular, the reduction of approximately 40% in London Boroughs’ budgets and the reduction in grant funding available at a time when many organisations faced increased demand, greater calls upon the Trust’s resources from charitable organisations was anticipated. In response, the Trust had decided to make a shift in the balance in its funding – from its reactive grant-making (i.e. grants made in response to applications to its ‘Investing in Londoners’ grants programme) to more proactive grant making – from a circa 90:10 ratio to 80:20. This was intended to allow for more strategic responses, informed by the reactive work. At the same time, the Trust would be improving the transparency and processes of its proactive grant-making.

The City Bridge Trust Committee recommended that the Court of Common Council note its recent decisions, namely, that:

·      up to 20% of the City Bridge Trust Committee’s total annual grants budget would now be committed through proactive grant-making (not including the £1m strategic grant to the Prince’s Trust);

·      up to one-quarter of this 20% (i.e. 5% of the annual proactive grants budget) would be ring-fenced for the consideration of grant proposals that fall outside of the reactive grants programme criteria, but which were informed by those criteria, and/or the broader evidence of need; and

·      a number of improvements, filters and prioritisation guidance for proactive grants, as summarised in the report and attached appendix, had been agreed.

The proposed increase in the budget for strategic grants would not affect the monies available for the regular grants programme, nor the allocation to the Prince’s Trust.

Resolved – That the amendments to the City Bridge Trust’s grant-making approach be noted.