Empowering Black communities

Innovate Now Round 3 with City Bridge Foundation.

We are providing £12,000 in funding and £3,000 in capacity-building support to strengthen your Black-led charity or social enterprise. We are offering the practical support and guidance you need to build financial resilience and create real, lasting change in London’s Black and Global Majority communities. Applications are now closed.

 

Why Innovate Now?

Innovate Now is here to provide you, as a Black-led charity or social enterprise, with direct and intentional support to help you grow. We understand the unique challenges Black communities face in securing funding for essential services. With our financial backing and expert guidance, you’ll be equipped to take your organization to the next level—boosting investment readiness, strengthening operations, and creating the best possible future for both your organisation and the communities you serve.

About the programme

Do it Now Now is collaborating with City Bridge Foundation to deliver a cutting-edge enterprise development programme supporting Black-led charities and social enterprises delivering support to Black and Global Majority communities in London. 

‘Innovate Now with City Bridge Foundation’ will provide 64 London-based Black-led charities and enterprises with £12,000 grant funding, bespoke support and £3,000 in compensated capacity building. We will help your organisation build financial resilience and operational readiness, increase your chances of raising social investment and create a sustainable future for your organisation.

The fund will be disbursed in 3 rounds. We have already run through the application process for Rounds 1 to 3.

We invite organisations read our guidance document to support them through the rest of their application journey with us.

Our objectives

We are interested in funding enterprise projects that are able to solve a problem experienced within Black and Global Majority communities in London, while bringing in trading income for the organisation. 

We are looking for existing charities and social enterprises that have a good track record of activity in the area of work they are seeking funding to support, a fantastic team of lived experience leaders, and a strong relationship with their community.

The goal for this funding is to ensure that more Black-led charities and social enterprises that are focused on the development and strengthening of Black and Global Majority communities can access the level of support they need to deliver their innovative solutions to challenges that have affected us. 

Please note that funding cannot be used for activities that promote religious or political purposes. If you run a faith-based organisation, you can apply but your services must be open to people of all or no faith.

Eligibility Criteria

Legal Incorporation

  • Organisations must be a legally incorporated non-profit (not limited by shares).

  • Organisations must have a clearly stated mission to support issues impacting Black and Global Majority Communities (indicated in your organisation’s governing/constitutional documents). 

  • Organisations must reinvest 100% of surpluses into pursuing their social mission and have a constitutional or contractual lock on their social mission, dividend, and surplus distribution policy (also known as an asset lock).

Geography

  • Organisations must be based in and operating in Greater London.

Leadership

  • At least one DiNN Member - to become a member of the Do it Now Now community please fill in this form bit.ly/dinncode 

  • Black Led organisation

  • At least three Directors or Trustees. 

  • 75% of the organisation’s Directors, Trustees or equivalent Governing Body members must have lived experience of the social issues your service users face and is the focus of the organisation. (The percentage is in line with the DEI Data Standard, if this percentage is not met because the Board is too small or other reasons, you may still be eligible, as long as the decision-making is led by people from Black communities). 

  • 51% of leadership/senior management must represent Black Communities.

  • There must be a clear commitment from senior management and the Board to income diversification, with a healthy risk appetite and interest to diversify from grant dependency through increased trading income and social investment.

Finance

  • Organisations must be generating an annual income between £30k and £150k as evidenced by their submitted accounts to Companies House/Charity Commission.

  • Organisations must be able to provide at least the last 1 year accounts submitted to Companies House/Charity Commission.

  • Organisations must be able to produce management accounts that include a Profit and Loss statement and Balance Sheet.

How we’ll work

  • Submit an EOI form to help the programme team understand your organisation's alignment with the funding criteria. This initial submission gathers essential details about your organisation’s mission, financials, and leadership. It is not a full proposal but sets the foundation for further engagement if shortlisted.

    The expression of interest form will give us a good idea of how closely you meet the eligibility criteria.

    For more information and a question by question breakdown, be sure to read through our guidance document.

  • Shortlisted applicants undergo a detailed health check, where an assessor works with you to understand your organisation’s strengths and needs. The due diligence process includes reviewing key documents like accounts and governance policies. The goal is to assess readiness for capacity building and funding.

    For more information about this please read the guidance document.

  • If successful in the health check, you’ll move to proposal development. This involves working with the programme team to refine your project idea, ensuring it’s ready for submission to the funding committee. During this stage, you will also receive training and resources to strengthen your organisation’s proposal.

    For more information please review the guidance document.

  • Once your proposal is approved, you'll begin the contracting onboarding process. This includes receiving your contract for £12,000 grant and prepping you to engage in the £3,000 compensated capacity-building support. The onboarding phase ensures that you have all the resources and guidance needed to implement your project and achieve sustainable growth.

  • We know that to achieve your goals capacity building, and more importantly, tailored support is necessary to move in the right direction. Our compensated capacity building programme will meet you where you are and support you all the way.

    You will engage with a dedicated Critical Friend, subject matter experts as mentors, and much more. This LIVE online training is best suited to the leadership of the organisation.

Its time to take the next step for your future

This is your opportunity to access £12,000 in funding and practical support to strengthen your Black-led charity or social enterprise. If you’re ready to build long-term sustainability and make a real impact in London’s Black and Global Majority communities, we’re looking forward to welcoming you into the programme.

Why us?

As a Black community-focused infrastructure organisation, DiNN works intersectionally across the demographics and causes our community is active in. Over the past couple of years, we have been particularly active in supporting the sustainability of Black-led climate action, youth-led, lived experience-led, and strengths-based organisations.

Our Support

We want you to have the best possible experience of this funding programme. Please feel free to get in touch with us so we can help you through.

  • Get in touch with us directly by email and we’ll get back in touch within 2 working days. 

  • 1-2-1 support calls are available throughout the duration of the Expression of Interest window.

    This is an opportunity for you to clarify any questions you may have about the application process. To request a call, please email us. Please join the call with your questions prepared.

  • Drop in sessions are available following stage 1 of the application process. We encourage applicants to attend these sessions even when they don't have a specific question to ask because it is a fantastic networking opportunity as well as a chance to be inspired by the questions others ask.

Now is the time,

to innovate.