Trusts and charities

In 2011 the Archibald Dawnay Scholarships, Robert Blair Fellowships for Applied Science and Technology, Alan Partridge Smith Trust and Higher Education Research and Special Expenses Fund were merged forming The City of London Corporation Combined Education Charity. The objects of the Combined Education Charity are to further the education of persons (including persons born or resident in the City of London and those attending educational institutions in the City of London or the other London boroughs) attending or proposing to attend secondary, further, or higher educational institutions and to provide grants for staff at maintained schools and academies in the City of London and the other boroughs of London to undertake studies to further their development as teachers.

The Combined Education Charity is currently fulfilling these objects through the delivery of a strategic project grant with two funded projects. Supporting 35 bursaries through the Equity Awards Programme for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic undergraduate students attending Goldsmiths, University of London, as well as supporting 36 Foundation Year bursaries at Birkbeck, University of London, helping students move from their Foundation Year to undergraduate degrees. 

The charity is not currently accepting external applications.

The objects of the City Educational Trust fund are the advancement of educational purposes connected with or related to the City University including, but not limited to, the advancement of education in science and technology, business management and commerce by the promotion of research, study, teaching and training, or the study and teaching of biology and ecology, or research, study and teaching in the cultural arts.

The City Educational Trust Fund is currently fulfilling these objects through the delivery of a strategic project grant supporting A New Direction to deliver its Primary Arts programme, inspiring and building the creative capacity of London’s primary school children and empowering staff to develop a creative and dynamic curriculum.

The charity is not currently accepting external applications.

The Combined Relief of Poverty Charity is the principal relief of need and/or poverty charity for which the City of London Corporation is trustee and brings together the Corporation of London Benevolent Society and Signor Favale’s Marriage Portion Charity. The objects of the Combined Relief of Poverty Charity are the relief of those in need by reason of poverty, old age, ill health, accident or infirmity who are either the widow, widower or child of a Freeman of the City of London or who reside in the City of London or the London Boroughs by the provision of grants, items and services or such other support as the trustee determines. 

The Combined Relief of Poverty Charity currently fulfils these objects through the provision of a strategic grant to Family Action who run the Aldgate Food Club providing good-quality food at a low cost. The Aldgate Food Club is held at Artizan Street Library and open to all City residents and City workers. 

The Combined Relief of Poverty Charity also provides Hardship Grants for individuals residing in London who are previous or current elected City of London Members, their dependents or connected persons; or to applicants residing outside London, who are the widows, widowers or children of previous and current City of London elected Members. 

To request an application form or discuss a potential application email the Central Funding and Charity Management Team.

The charity was founded in 1600 under the Will of Lady Anne Dacre and is administered by the City of London Corporation. The income of the charity is now applied for the relief of need by reason of age, ill-health, disability financial hardship or other disadvantage of those who are resident or have been resident in Greater London.

The charity is not open to new applications and is currently providing strategic funding to Friends of the Elderly who provide one-off crisis grants to older people living in London who are living in extreme financial difficulty. Grants can be used to cover essential expenses such as purchasing a new fridge, paying unexpected bills, food, clothing, or covering gas and electricity costs.

Applications are submitted on behalf of individuals by referral agents including community centres, religious centres, carers centres, housing associations, Citizen’s Advice and Age UK. For more information about these grants and how to apply please visit Grants for Older People.

Samuel Wilson's Loan Trust is a charitable body which offers business loans to young people (aged 18-39) for establishing and developing new businesses, and who are "in need by reason of ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage".

Loans are available for the purposes of establishing or developing companies or partnerships engaged in trade, manufacturing, business or professions in the areas comprising greater London and the counties of Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex.

For further information about eligibility criteria and the value of loans available, or if you are unsure whether you are eligible, email: Samuel Wilson's Loan Trust enquiries.

The charity was established under the Will of Sir William Coxen (1867-1946), a previous Lord Mayor. The income of the charity is applied for the benefit of, or to pay over to, all or any of the Orthopaedic Hospitals of England and other Hospitals or Charitable Institutions carrying on similar work, with a preference for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (Great Portland Street). Consistent with the wishes of Sir William, the charity focuses its grant-making activities for, or for the prevention of, orthopaedic conditions in children up to the age of 14 years.

For the foreseeable future, the Sir William Coxen Trust Fund is pursuing a strategic project with the University of East Anglia to further develop research into the treatment of primary bone cancers which disproportionately affect children and have very poor survival rates (Osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma). 

City Bridge Foundation is the working name of the historic Bridge House Estates which was set up around 900 years ago for the maintenance of the old London Bridge. City Bridge Foundation’s primary aim remains to maintain their five bridges but the Foundation is also London’s largest independent funder.

Having committed exceptional levels of funding to London’s charitable sector until 2026, the Foundation’s rolling grant programmes are currently closed to new applicants for one year whilst the Foundation reviews and develops its new funding policy which is due to be launched in Autumn 2025.