Shaping Fairer Futures Through Community-Led Change
Foundation for Future London brings people, ideas and investment together to create fairer futures. We work alongside communities, organisations, funders, and partners to open opportunities, strengthen local organisations, and help neighbourhoods thrive—making sure the benefits of investment reach the people and places that matter most.
Foundation for Future London is an independent charity that designs and delivers programmes in skills, culture and community development.
We help funders, businesses and public bodies ensure investment creates real benefits for local people.
We bring together communities, organisations, funders and partners to create opportunities, strengthen local organisations and support neighbourhoods to thrive.
Change starts with communities
We believe investment can do more than fund a project.
It can open doors. Build confidence. Strengthen connections. Create opportunities. And help communities shape the future of the places they call home.
Unlike traditional funders or delivery organisations, we combine grant-making, partnership delivery and community engagement. This means we can work alongside communities from the very beginning, helping to shape investments, programmes and opportunities around the people they are intended to benefit.
Our work is built on trust, participation and partnership. We listen to the people with direct experience of the issues we are working on and create space for their knowledge, ideas and ambitions to lead the way.
Because communities should not be consulted after decisions have already been made.
They should help shape the decisions, investments and opportunities that affect their lives from the outset.
Rooted in East London, inspiring change beyond
Our story began in East London. From Hackney to Newham, Tower Hamlets to Waltham Forest, we developed a way of working rooted in relationships, local knowledge and the belief that lasting change happens when communities have real influence.
Since launching in 2015, we have worked alongside hundreds of grassroots organisations and connected thousands of people to opportunities in skills, employment, culture, community development and beyond.
Over time, our work has grown beyond a single place.
Today, we work across East London, wider London and increasingly with partners across the UK and internationally. Wherever we work, we bring the same approach: connecting people, ideas and investment to create lasting local benefit.
More than funding
We know that funding alone is not always enough.
That is why we bring people and organisations together, build partnerships and create programmes that respond to local ambitions and opportunities.
We support communities to influence decisions. We help organisations grow stronger. We connect funders and institutions with the people closest to the issues they want to address.
And we work to make sure the benefits of investment don’t simply pass through a place but stay there.
Our work is generously supported by Westfield Stratford City, Headland, City of London, Mayor of London, NHS Race & Health Observatory, The Cherry Family Foundation, the BBC and University of East London.
We are also committed to building a more sustainable future, taking action on climate change and considering how our work can support a net-zero future.
Read our statement on Why Environment and Sustainability Matter.
Our belief
At the centre of everything we do is a simple belief:
The people who know a place best should have a say in shaping its future.
East London never stands still — and neither do we.
Vision
A future where every community has the power, opportunity and investment to shape its own future and thrive.
Mission
Our mission is to connect communities, partners and investment to deliver community-led change through funding, collaboration and partnership building.
Read Our Reports
Patron
HRH The Princess Royal
Board
Sir David Bell, Co-Chair
Baroness Lola Young, Co-Chair
Abul Khoyer Hussain
Andrew Adedipe
Anne Mullins
Ciara Solmi
Hal Khanom
Joseph Lyons
Lauren Gee
Louise Jeffreys
Sophie Beagles
Vaibhav Negi
Charlotte Thomson
Stephen Burr
Christopher West
Board Working Groups
1. Communications, Marketing & PR Committee
2. Finance and Fundraising & Audit and Risk Committee
Community Ambassadors
Tiwa King, Lead
Jazal Babar
Katie Balcombe, Communications Lead
Zak Addae–Kodua
Anne-Marie Clive, Strategy Lead
Kianu Glasgow, Youth Engagement Lead
Piarvé Wetshi, Sustainability Lead
Staff
Sarah Nelson, CEO
Alice Devitt, Director of Fundraising & Business Development
Guy Kassongo, Head of Finance
Ashton Mullins, Interim Head of Programmes & Grants
Amy Glass, Communications Manager
Rosy Awwal, Governance & Events Manager
Dimeji Garber, Corporate Partnerships Manager