The London Community Foundation Story
London is the greatest city in the world. But London is a polarised city, of extreme inequality, of haves and have-nots. It is a city with the country’s greatest wealth, but also the worst deprivation, where people struggle just to get by.
The fact that people in our city experience London so differently should cause us all to feel unease, and concern. We believe in a London where everyone has a fair chance. We believe in a London that comes together for its neighbours.
And London is a city where ordinary but remarkable people are rising to those challenges, every day, and making change happen. That change is happening through local, small, community organisations, which people who are most excluded and feel most alienated, trust and turn to. That change is made possible by inspiring community leaders, who often have personal experience of the challenges they are helping their communities overcome.
We believe in the vital role local community organisations and their leaders play. We believe in listening, and trusting people to know what their challenges are.
We also believe in the generosity and solidarity of Londoners, wanting to make a difference to where they live and work.
We know communities can identify their own responses to the challenges they face, but often lack the resources. Our task is to support them. We do that by championing local organisations, connecting funders to them, channelling funds to their work, and supporting them directly to be stronger.
We can find funders the best projects to support, and make supporting them easy and fulfilling. We have the understanding of small, local organisations, the expertise and the connections. We can give funders confidence, as well as reach, in the community projects they are funding.
In short, we can help you make a difference to London, where it matters most. Right here in our community.
Why we exist
London is the greatest city in the world. If you live and work here, if you’re a Londoner, you’ll know it. You’ll feel it.
But London is a polarised city, of extreme inequality, of haves and have-nots. It is a city of extreme wealth and prosperity, proud of its diversity and culture. But it is also a city with some of the country’s worst levels of poverty and deprivation.
- 28% of Londoners live in poverty; a quarter higher than the average for the UK, while the cost of living in London is up to half as much again.
- 39% of non-white households live in poverty. 53% of single-parent families.
- 40% of Londoners do not meet an acceptable standard of living (Minimum Income Standard)
- The richest 10% of Londoners have six times as much wealth (42.5%) as the bottom half combined (6.8%).
(Source: Trust for London Poverty Profile 2022)
London is a city where people struggle just to get by, and on top of that, bear the brunt of challenges that poverty and inequality bring to a community. People experience unequal access to services. Health disparities. The elderly and women from immigrant communities, isolated at home. Young people under-achieving at school, with limited job options. Gangs and violence.
But London is a city where ordinary but remarkable people are rising to those challenges, every day, coming together in their communities, and making change happen. And we’re here to help you support that change.
