City Bridge Foundation
We provide grants and use our resources to help communities foster connections, become more resilient and build a more equal London.
Overview
Total reviews: 80
Median 10 hours
Latest Reviews
Aug 30, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2017
They are a great funder, the website is brilliant and the information provided is easy to follow. The grant application process is not complicated nor is the form.
The visit by the Grant Officer was very helpful, helped us to identify some gaps which the Grant officer was helpful in advising us how to complete them. The Grant Officer also provided other helpoful advice where we could strengthen our bid, areas where we could strengthen our organisation's work. The grant officer didn't penalise us for that.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Insightful
Friendly
Builds relationships
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2017
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Great Website
Grant officer very helpful
Monitoring Process not overwhelming
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Cannot thing of one
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your positive feedback. We are pleased to hear that you found our visit and advice helpful and the application process easy to follow.
Jul 21, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
Great funder - long application process with interview- very thorough questions- lots of finance info required
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
Not so great maybe for more grass roots charities
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
its really well involved and you feel supported
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for this response and positive feedback. We note the point about being less accessible to grass roots organisations, but we are delighted that you feel supported by CBT.
May 30, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2016
Be well prepared. You will need a very precise application and all the supporting information.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2016
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
Always punctual and professional.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Because of its rigour in assessment and research on results I would expect this funder to have a very good idea about its success rate.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Answering your questions.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Some explanatory notes on the application and reporting would be nice.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
It supports its grant holders with consultancy and advisory services via Cranfield Trust.
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to review CBT. We are very pleased that you feel we are punctual and professional as well as available for questions. We are always looking at how we can improve the application and reporting processes and have added more explanatory notes recently. Thank you again!
May 27, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2018
Try and have a conversation beforehand. Believe they really want to fund good work and want to support you. They've been very flexible and clear with what they expect.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Flexibility and feeling of support in covid-19 crisis
Plus they came and saw the work in action which was valued
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
The interim report budget format didn't match our application one so required a bit of working out
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you very much for this vote of confidence. We do indeed really want to help and the more we can get this message to potential grantees the better. We are pleased that you have felt supported during Covid-19 as this has been our priority over the past few months. We love to visit funded organisations and hope to start this again as soon as we can safely.
Dec 12, 2019
applied in 2018
read all the information. Make notes, and prepare narrative statements. Make sure you have all the documentation thats required.
Pros
Friendly
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Responsive
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
I found the online form a bit long and repetitive in places
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
I was telephoned by a representative who discussed my application and gave me some good advice about how to proceed
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Core funding is really important to organisations like ours as the Governments austerity policies have hit us hard. Many small charities like ours have been forced to close. We have struggled to survive, but are managing to do so through the support of funders such as these, so Thank you
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
when uploading documents on the application form make sure you follow the order that they are asked for in as I wasted a good 45 minutes not doing this properly. I phoned the funder and they helped me out.
If you believe the contents of this review are inappropriate please contact us via email.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to feedback to us and for your appreciation. We are pleased that our core funding has helped at such a difficult time.
Aug 30, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2017
They are a great funder, the website is brilliant and the information provided is easy to follow. The grant application process is not complicated nor is the form.
The visit by the Grant Officer was very helpful, helped us to identify some gaps which the Grant officer was helpful in advising us how to complete them. The Grant Officer also provided other helpoful advice where we could strengthen our bid, areas where we could strengthen our organisation's work. The grant officer didn't penalise us for that.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Insightful
Friendly
Builds relationships
Openminded
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2017
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Great Website Grant officer very helpful Monitoring Process not overwhelming
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Cannot thing of one
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to write this review and for your positive feedback. We are pleased to hear that you found our visit and advice helpful and the application process easy to follow.
Jul 21, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
Great funder - long application process with interview- very thorough questions- lots of finance info required
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
Not so great maybe for more grass roots charities
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
its really well involved and you feel supported
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for this response and positive feedback. We note the point about being less accessible to grass roots organisations, but we are delighted that you feel supported by CBT.
May 30, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2016
Be well prepared. You will need a very precise application and all the supporting information.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2016
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
Always punctual and professional.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Because of its rigour in assessment and research on results I would expect this funder to have a very good idea about its success rate.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Answering your questions.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Some explanatory notes on the application and reporting would be nice.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
It supports its grant holders with consultancy and advisory services via Cranfield Trust.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to review CBT. We are very pleased that you feel we are punctual and professional as well as available for questions. We are always looking at how we can improve the application and reporting processes and have added more explanatory notes recently. Thank you again!
May 27, 2020
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2018
Try and have a conversation beforehand. Believe they really want to fund good work and want to support you. They've been very flexible and clear with what they expect.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Current or former grantee
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Funded for amount requested
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Flexibility and feeling of support in covid-19 crisis Plus they came and saw the work in action which was valued
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
The interim report budget format didn't match our application one so required a bit of working out
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you very much for this vote of confidence. We do indeed really want to help and the more we can get this message to potential grantees the better. We are pleased that you have felt supported during Covid-19 as this has been our priority over the past few months. We love to visit funded organisations and hope to start this again as soon as we can safely.
Dec 12, 2019
applied in 2018
read all the information. Make notes, and prepare narrative statements. Make sure you have all the documentation thats required.
Pros
Friendly
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Responsive
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Applied and not funded
If you were funded tell us the outcome
What year was this experience?
2018
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
I found the online form a bit long and repetitive in places
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
I was telephoned by a representative who discussed my application and gave me some good advice about how to proceed
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Core funding is really important to organisations like ours as the Governments austerity policies have hit us hard. Many small charities like ours have been forced to close. We have struggled to survive, but are managing to do so through the support of funders such as these, so Thank you
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Is there anything else that's be useful for others to know to understand this funder?
when uploading documents on the application form make sure you follow the order that they are asked for in as I wasted a good 45 minutes not doing this properly. I phoned the funder and they helped me out.
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for taking the time to feedback to us and for your appreciation. We are pleased that our core funding has helped at such a difficult time.