United Kingdom: Civil Society Roots Programme (Round 2)

Deadline: 19-May-23

The Mayor of London, in partnership with City Bridge Trust (CBT) and The National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) invites equity-led organisations to invest in their roots and foundations by applying for Round Two of the Civil Society Roots 3 programme.

Civil Society Roots 3 was launched in 2022 to focus on strengthening place-based, civic infrastructure for equity-led organisations. It aims to strengthen civic infrastructure which focuses on relationship building, networking and the development of collective voice and advocacy for the organisations it supports. The programme recognises the role of equity-led infrastructure organisations and activity in helping achieve the ambitions of a thriving civil society. Especially activity that helps:

• develop the work and capacity of other specialist, equity-led organisations and groups
• advocate on behalf of the sector and the communities they serve
• facilitate networks to enable collaboration, learning and strategic coordination
• connect local organisations to funders and corporate giving.

Round Two of the programme will continue to fund ideas of equity led groups which develop new sectoral or cross sectoral partnerships, invest in capacity building, research or training or enable space and time to think about what the communities need most.

The funding is specifically aimed at supporting organisations to be in a stronger place to respond to and serve the increasing and ever-changing needs of the communities and is not for delivery of front-line activity.

Funding Information

• This is the second round of Civil Society Roots 3 funding, and grants will be up to £30,000 over 12 months (plus up to £2500 for additional access costs). The grants are an opportunity for equity-led organisations to implement a project they have a clear and developed idea for and are ready to be tested.

Eligible Activities

Activity could include (but not limited to):

• funding a staff post which focuses on place-based relationship building, networking and advocacy
• the development and maintenance of a network
• implementing a support model which will deliver on the priorities identified through a Round One development grant
• testing out the use of an existing model that is being used well by a community organisation elsewhere and could be scaled up.

What types of projects will they support?

• All projects must be led by and for groups impacted by structural inequality, and they must take place in one of the 10 London boroughs targeted in this fund. However, they know that groups often organise across boroughs and across communities, so they want to be flexible and respond to the needs you identify.
• If you are not registered in one of the 10 boroughs but deliver your activity primarily in one of these boroughs they will ask for two references from borough based organisations in order to evidence your positive track record of delivery in the borough.
• Civil Society Roots 3 funding is focussed on supporting equity-led organisations to develop networks, build their capacity and strengthen their voice. It is designed to invest in the type of activity that will lead to better support for Londoners through stronger community organisations and civil society. It will not fund front line activity directly.

Locations: Similar to Round One, this round of funding is targeted at organisations working in or based in Bromley, Enfield, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Newham, Redbridge, Sutton, Wandsworth.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible to apply, applicants must meet the following:
  • be a not-for-profit organisation, such as such as a:
    • registered, exempted or accepted charity
    • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
    • Community Interest Company limited by guarantee
    • Charitable company limited by guarantee (that is also not a registered charity)
    • Community benefit society (Industrial and Provident society)
    • Faith group, where the activity is not promoting religion
    • Community Amateur Sports Club
    • Constituted but unincorporated club or association
    • Constituted Tenants and Residents Associations, and Tenant Management Organisations
    • Constituted community group
    • Community Infrastructure Organisations
    • Unconstituted community group
    • Mutual Aid Groups
  • the lead organisation must have an annual turnover of less than £500k
  • the lead organisation must be based in or working in one of the 10 target boroughs for this round of funding
  • in order to be eligible for this grant, the lead applicant must be an equity led organisation. They define ‘led by’ as when more than 50 per cent of an organisation’s Trustees and staff members (including senior leaders) are people from the community or communities that you serve or have lived experience of the issues that your organisation is tackling.
• Unconstituted community or mutual aid groups can only apply, if they have been a successful Round One Development grantee with an approved fiscal host.
• If you are not registered in one of the 10 boroughs but deliver your activity primarily in one of these boroughs they will ask for two references from borough based organisations in order to evidence a positive track record of delivering in the borough.

Ineligible

The following categories cannot apply to the fund:

• individuals (unless part of a partnership, cannot be lead partners)
• businesses and ‘for profit’ organisations (including Company Limited by Shares) unless part of a partnership and cannot be lead partners
• local offices of larger regional or national organisations/charities
• local authorities
• organisations with a turnover in excess of £500k.

For more information, visit Mayor of London.