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: 75
Median 10 hours
Latest Reviews
Jan 26, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
Great funder that seems to understand that it takes time and resources to apply for grants and does not request unnecessary information mapped against pages and pages of guidance and templates. The evaluation for this funder (through London Community Response Fund) was light touch and made us want to provide more information which could be sent in a format that we as an organisation find useful for the developing the work.
Pros
Gives more than money
Friendly
Builds relationships
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?
2019
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
Clear questions, light touch evaluation. Opportunities to support the organisations beyond the funding through pro bono expertise which is amazing!
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Keep doing what you are doing.
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 your review and we are pleased to hear that we are asking for things that are proportionate.
Jan 25, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2018
You can be honest with them. They understand and always want to learn more about the challenges faced by our sector
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
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
Supportive
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Keep up the good work
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
We are really pleased to hear about your experience with us, thanks for your review.
Jan 25, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
They are great with communication. Make sure your read the guidelines and application first and see if they can fund your idea.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Culturally sensitive
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?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
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
Many thanks for your review, we are grateful for the time taken.
Jan 21, 2022
Other - applied in 2019
Need to be very clear about their financial forecasts and where they anticipate raising other funds from.
Pros
Gives more than money
Friendly
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Openminded
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Grant currently pending
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Other
What year was this experience?
2019
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
Very approachable assessor who was clear and fair
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
That charities do their best to present coherent projects for beneficiaries and that we always welcome guidance.
The requirement to have the AQS standard meant an additional cost especially because we run another quality mark which is IOS9001. I wonder if there could be some flexibility around this if there is already another quality mark?
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 your feedback, we will ensure that the information on quality marks is taken upwards.
Jan 19, 2022
Funded for lesser amount - applied in 2019
Do your research, and make sure you are eligible.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Risk taker
Culturally sensitive
Friendly
Understands nonprofits and issues
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 lesser amount
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
Found the process simple enough, but I know others do find it a challenge, however, having done lots of funding bids I would say it was a 4 out of 10 in difficulty. I've had much longer and harder ones which we were successful with but were painful in terms of time taken to do them and constant review.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
We would have liked to have gotten more but we are still humbled to have received funding during an exceptional time when I'm certain they were inundated with funding requests.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Very responsive, quick to agree and online document signing all were excellent and expertly done.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Please help us again! We are really important and very unique, as the only user based care leaver charity, run by ex care experienced people for current care leavers and children in care. We have been incredibly successful in how and what we do. During the pandemic our in work numbers actually increased, those who have done our workshops our now at 98% in work and 100% homed independently. Those stats don't lie. We also don't age discriminate and go the extra mile working out of hours everyday, and not letting a single person who asks for our help fall through the cracks due to no fault of their own. Each and everyone us has more passion for our work and our jobs than I've ever seen in my long career and I'm incredibly proud of our achievements. So may I once again thank you and my only advice would be keep doing what you're doing and making life saving decisions where you put your money, trust and faith in. We won't let you down.
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
Many thanks for your feedback, we really appreciate hearing from you.
Jan 26, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
Great funder that seems to understand that it takes time and resources to apply for grants and does not request unnecessary information mapped against pages and pages of guidance and templates. The evaluation for this funder (through London Community Response Fund) was light touch and made us want to provide more information which could be sent in a format that we as an organisation find useful for the developing the work.
Pros
Gives more than money
Friendly
Builds relationships
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?
2019
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
Clear questions, light touch evaluation. Opportunities to support the organisations beyond the funding through pro bono expertise which is amazing!
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Keep doing what you are doing.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for your review and we are pleased to hear that we are asking for things that are proportionate.
Jan 25, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2018
You can be honest with them. They understand and always want to learn more about the challenges faced by our sector
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Gives more than money
Builds relationships
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
Supportive
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Keep up the good work
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
We are really pleased to hear about your experience with us, thanks for your review.
Jan 25, 2022
Funded for amount requested - applied in 2019
They are great with communication. Make sure your read the guidelines and application first and see if they can fund your idea.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Culturally sensitive
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?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Average
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Average
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Many thanks for your review, we are grateful for the time taken.
Jan 21, 2022
Other - applied in 2019
Need to be very clear about their financial forecasts and where they anticipate raising other funds from.
Pros
Gives more than money
Friendly
Builds relationships
Likes site visits
Understands nonprofits and issues
Openminded
Cons
Pros
Cons
What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?
Grant currently pending
If you were funded tell us the outcome
Other
What year was this experience?
2019
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
Very approachable assessor who was clear and fair
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
That charities do their best to present coherent projects for beneficiaries and that we always welcome guidance. The requirement to have the AQS standard meant an additional cost especially because we run another quality mark which is IOS9001. I wonder if there could be some flexibility around this if there is already another quality mark?
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Thank you for your feedback, we will ensure that the information on quality marks is taken upwards.
Jan 19, 2022
Funded for lesser amount - applied in 2019
Do your research, and make sure you are eligible.
Pros
Positive leader in the field
Risk taker
Culturally sensitive
Friendly
Understands nonprofits and issues
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 lesser amount
What year was this experience?
2019
How would you rate this funder's accessibility?
Excellent
Found the process simple enough, but I know others do find it a challenge, however, having done lots of funding bids I would say it was a 4 out of 10 in difficulty. I've had much longer and harder ones which we were successful with but were painful in terms of time taken to do them and constant review.
How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its goals as a funder?
Excellent
We would have liked to have gotten more but we are still humbled to have received funding during an exceptional time when I'm certain they were inundated with funding requests.
Tell us one thing that this funder does really well
Very responsive, quick to agree and online document signing all were excellent and expertly done.
If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?
Please help us again! We are really important and very unique, as the only user based care leaver charity, run by ex care experienced people for current care leavers and children in care. We have been incredibly successful in how and what we do. During the pandemic our in work numbers actually increased, those who have done our workshops our now at 98% in work and 100% homed independently. Those stats don't lie. We also don't age discriminate and go the extra mile working out of hours everyday, and not letting a single person who asks for our help fall through the cracks due to no fault of their own. Each and everyone us has more passion for our work and our jobs than I've ever seen in my long career and I'm incredibly proud of our achievements. So may I once again thank you and my only advice would be keep doing what you're doing and making life saving decisions where you put your money, trust and faith in. We won't let you down.
How was your relationship overall with the funder?
Excellent
Reply from City Bridge Trust
Mar 22, 2023
Many thanks for your feedback, we really appreciate hearing from you.