Cripplegate Foundation is a local grant-making foundation supporting residents working in the London borough of Islington and a small area of the City of London. Our vision is of a society where everyone can live a rewarding and fulfilled life, free from poverty and inequality.
Who we are
We want to improve access to opportunities for everyone and to make lasting change. We do this by:
- listening to, and learning from, local people and communities,
- raising funds and making grants, and
- working in partnership with local people and organisations.
Our vision
Our vision for Islington is of an equal borough where everyone can enjoy a life free from poverty and access the many opportunities on offer in their local area.
We work to bring about change that will transform the lives of our most disadvantaged residents.
We aim to maximise all our assets for our residents – our endowment and investments, our knowledge, people and networks, our grant making programmes, and our partnerships.
We do this by:
- Giving grants and support to organisations working in Islington to benefit residents
- Developing and working in effective partnerships with local and national organisations to identify need, and bringing more resources into our area of benefit
- Promoting and championing effective ways to tackle disadvantage
The context in Islington
Islington is full of opportunity, but can also be a tough place to live, with complex challenges.
Cripplegate Foundation sees the Borough’s diversity as our strength, a view shared by people who live here. Over 90% of residents think Islington is a place where people from different backgrounds get along well together.
But Islington is also a borough of contrasts. Over a decade of welfare reform compounded by the unequal impact of Covid-19 has made life even more challenging for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
London itself is a highly unequal city and Islington stands at extremes when compared to much of London and the rest of the UK.
Our priorities and actions
Building on our experience and learning, over the next 3 years across all our work we will:
- Listen, learn and act – to better understand the needs of local residents and adapt our grant making
- Raise funds and make grants – maximising the money and resources available to support residents and communities
- Amplify local voices – to promote and encourage greater equity and access to opportunities across Islington
- Aim for organisational excellence – to achieve this strategy and our longer-term impact
We will apply these four priorities in all our work, recognising the ongoing success and profile of Islington Giving which gives the Foundation the opportunity to make a step change in its own activities.
Full strategy
This is a summary of our full 2022 – 2026 strategy.