More than £600,000 provided to help Londoners most impacted by cost of living crisis

• New funding from the Civil Society Roots programme will help communities impacted by inequalities across the capital
• Grants up to £32,500 awarded to 21 community-led organisations by Mayor, National Lottery Community Fund and City Bridge Foundation
• Organisations advocating for those most in need set to benefit, including groups focussed on empowering women, and d/Deaf and disabled Londoners

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund and City Bridge Foundation, has today announced the successful recipients of more than £600,000¹ funding to help low-income and marginalised communities.

The funding, which is part of the Civil Society Roots programme, will help communities impacted by inequalities across the capital. – including Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners, d/Deaf and disabled Londoners, LGBTQI+ Londoners, older Londoners, and women.

The funding is specifically aimed at supporting organisations to respond to, and serve, the needs of communities that were hardest hit by the impact of the pandemic and now impacted by the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Successful organisations² include Hillingdon Women's centre, an initiative which helps empower women-led community groups in the borough; Suvai Deaf East Community in Redbridge, who advocate on behalf of d/Deaf and disabled Londoners; and the Sound Minds mental health project in Wandsworth which intends to use funding to establish a network and forum that connects service users, their families, and related organisations.

This round of funding is targeted at organisations working in or based in Bromley, Enfield, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Newham, Redbridge, Sutton, and Wandsworth. These boroughs³ have been found to receive lower amounts of funding.

Civil Society Roots was launched in 2022 to fund community-led organisations to help them increase collaboration, commission research, recruit new staff, and invest in the resources they need to support those across the capital most impacted by social inequalities. Last year total grants of just under £500,000 were given out by the programme.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “With the lasting impact of the pandemic and the rising cost of living increasing inequalities in our city, there has never been a greater need for organisations like those receiving this funding. I am proud that the Civil Society Roots programme is able to help strengthen organisations, so that they can better support marginalised communities across the capital. By working in collaboration with partners, we are building a fairer, more equitable city for all Londoners.”

Giles Shilson, City Bridge Foundation Chairman, said: “We’re proud to support the Civil Society Roots programme, which extends our commitment to increasing equity, diversity and inclusion and empowering London’s communities and the organisations that support them to flourish. This funding will enable charities to do even more to help the people who need it most, in the funding cold spot London boroughs where it will have the greatest impact.”

John Mothersole, England Chair at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to be working alongside the Greater London Authority and City Bridge Foundation to award this vital funding through the Civil Society Roots programme, which is helping to build a stronger civil society in the capital.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding is supporting community-led organisations in London – which are led by and for marginalised communities - to develop their networks, create new partnerships, increase their reach, and strengthen their voice.”