Grant News

Trust for London has announced that it is reshaping how it funds anti-poverty work, shifting its focus from supporting frontline services to projects that confront the structural causes of inequality.

The foundation announced the strategic change on 16 October 2025, citing economic pressures, a shrinking endowment and the need to make limited funds go further. It said the surge in crisis-response funding during the pandemic and cost-of-living emergency was necessary at the time but unsustainable in the long term.

“Without addressing the root causes of poverty, we risk simply responding to symptoms again and again,” the trust said. It now plans to support initiatives that change policies, challenge systems and influence decision-makers — from strategic legal action to campaigning and advocacy — rather than primarily funding advice services or direct support.

The trust will continue to prioritise seven key areas, including housing, decent work, racial and disability justice, and social security reform. However, some strands, such as funding to tackle migrant destitution, are temporarily closed while the trust reviews how best to use its resources.

Existing grants will remain unaffected, but new applicants are being urged to show how their work contributes to broader structural change. Projects focused solely on delivering services are less likely to receive support under the new approach.

The shift signals a significant move in the fight against poverty in London — from short-term crisis management to long-term systemic change.