An Introduction to London Funders

London Funders is the membership network for funders and investors in London’s civil society

Who we are 
London Funders is the only cross-sector membership network for funders and investors in London’s civil society. We’re uniquely placed to enable funders from all sectors to be effective. We’re focused on collaboration – convening funders to connect, contribute and cooperate together, to help people across London’s communities to live better lives.

The need for London Funders
London is a complex city and its funding landscape is changing dramatically. This change is being driven by a combination of factors including the redefining of the role of the state (both national and local), the changing profile of poverty and the needs of the population within London, and the increasingly complex governance and public policy landscape that our members operate within.

Other regions and countries in the UK have particular needs and disadvantages but in London their scale and complexity are masked by areas of extreme affluence. Funders need to know about how policy affects the capital and how funding can be developed to meet the diverse needs of London’s communities.

London Funders is unique in bringing together public sector funders and commissioners, with independent foundations, social and corporate investors, lottery funders and others. Our members invest in every aspect of London’s life, from the arts through to welfare, and they fund across all 32 boroughs and the City of London. These funds are invested in London through a number of channels including the voluntary and community sectors, social enterprises and the private sector, as well as directly to the citizens of London.

Our Beliefs

• We believe that Londoners should be at the heart of our work, and that of our members – with their needs, their strengths and their hopes driving developments in the funding community. 
• We believe that effective and resilient civil society organisations are essential to enabling London’s people and communities to thrive. 
• We believe that civil society organisations are best supported to meet the needs of Londoners when funding is based on a shared understanding of need, with good funding practices, and a collaborative approach to funding that ensures resources are channelled to the right places. 
• We believe that social systems - the policy framework within which civil society operates, and how funding is accessed by civil society organisations - can be altered to meet the needs of Londoners better. As part of this, we believe that funders can be active advocates for changes to policies and structures that affect civil society organisations. 

 

We are an accredited Living Wage Employer.