Open Call for Communities Building Economic Change (UK)

City Bridge Foundation invites applications for “Communities Building Economic Change”, its first round of the Economic Justice programme. This opportunity provides core and flexible grants over five years to small- and medium-sized, community-rooted organisations tackling economic injustice in London. The application deadline is 12 noon on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Communities Building Economic Change supports organisations working towards a just economy where all Londoners can live well, participate and have a say in decisions affecting them. The funding addresses worsening financial hardship and inequality, including issues such as rising costs, weakened public services, insecure or out-of-reach jobs, and growing debt and arrears. The programme defines “economic justice” using three interconnected dimensions: The opportunity is focused on community-rooted organisations that combine frontline support with longer-term work to tackle systemic causes of economic injustice. This opportunity offers core and flexible grants covering all activities an organisation delivers, including both:

Key notes on the grant structure:

The opportunity is open to small- to medium-sized organisations that are rooted in communities experiencing economic injustice in Greater London and meet the income requirement. Applicants must be small- to medium-sized organisations with: Applicants should be able to show they: The opportunity states that applicants will be prioritised (in evaluation) for clear evidence that:

The guidance also notes:

Communities Building Economic Change seeks organisations tackling economic injustice in one or more of three funding priorities: This focuses on creating space for people experiencing economic injustice to understand root causes and collaborate to challenge the systems causing them. The source describes supported work such as: This focuses on protecting, restoring, and improving access to essentials for living well, such as: The source notes work can go beyond service delivery and include: This focuses on helping communities gain greater control over decisions and assets shaping their lives, including:

The source describes approaches such as:

This funding is designed for organisations already working at the frontline of economic injustice in London, with a specific expectation that applicants use community insight and lived experience to support longer-term systems change. It is particularly relevant for community-rooted groups that are balancing essential support with efforts to reshape the conditions—such as policies, practices, resource flows, power dynamics, and narratives—that drive inequality. The opportunity also explicitly links economic justice to both everyday access to essentials and the distribution of economic power, making it suited to organisations working across service delivery and community-led influence. The source states that comprehensive information is available through a downloadable Funding Guidelines document (DOCX). The excerpt indicates there is an application process and that representation data is collected via the application form, but it does not provide step-by-step submission instructions in the text provided. Because the opportunity explicitly expects community-rootedness and lived experience to inform both strategy and frontline delivery, common risks include: (Selection criteria and weighting are not provided in the excerpt; applicants should confirm evaluation details in the official Funding Guidelines.) What is the Communities Building Economic Change grant for? It funds core and flexible work over five years to support community-rooted organisations tackling economic injustice in London, aiming for a just economy where all Londoners can thrive and have a say in decisions affecting them. How much funding can I apply for? The opportunity offers five-year grants of £150,000 to £450,000. The page also describes the grants as up to £450,000. Who can apply? Small- to medium-sized organisations rooted in Greater London communities experiencing economic injustice, with annual income between £50,000 and £1.5 million, providing frontline support and using frontline insight for longer-term change. What is the deadline? Applications must be submitted by 12 noon on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Does the programme require evidence of experience with economic injustice? Yes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate at least two years’ evidence of working with communities affected by economic injustice and using frontline insights and lived experience to inform longer-term change. What types of activities are supported? The funding supports activities across three priorities: building shared understanding of the economy, securing essentials for living well, and giving communities more power—using approaches such as education, organising, campaigning, advocacy, and collective ownership/participation. Where can I find the official application guidance and instructions? The page indicates that comprehensive guidance is provided in downloadable Funding Guidelines and includes resources and FAQs on the official opportunity page, but the excerpt provided does not include the full application instructions or submission link. If your organisation is based in Greater London, meets the annual income threshold, and has at least two years of relevant frontline and longer-term work, review the Funding Guidelines linked from the official Communities Building Economic Change page. Then follow the stated application steps and ensure your submission is completed by 12 noon, 3 November 2026.