Help and FAQs
We have gathered all the essential information you need if you are applying for a Propel Long-term grant. We will update this document regularly with new questions as they arise.
We hosted a webinar outlining some of the key messages from the guidance, and detailing how to apply. You can watch that back here.
Overview
Q: What is a Propel Long-Term Grant?
The Propel Long-Term Grant is an opportunity to apply for up to seven years of continuous, flexible funding.
Q: Who is a Propel Long-Term Grant for?
Anyone who has a Propel grant may apply for a Long-term grant. It doesn’t matter who your funder is or was, or what kind of Propel grant you currently have. However, Propel has made a commitment that at least 75% of funded organisations will be led by and for and this will be considered in the assessment.
Q: What’s the deadline?
6th May, at 5pm (this has been changed from midday at the request of applicants).
Q. What is the timeline?
There will be a two stage process to apply for a Propel Long-term Grant. All applicants will have an opportunity to complete a short Expression of Interest (EOI) in Spring 2025. You will be notified of the outcome of your EOI in June 2025. If your Expression of Interest is successful, you will be invited to apply to Stage Two.
Q: Do I have to submit an EOI if my grant ends at the end of 2026 or beyond?
Yes. All organisations that want to apply for Propel’s Long-Term Grant need to fill an EOI at this stage of the process regardless of your current grant end date.
Q: How do I apply for a Propel Long-Term Grant?
You can make your application at www.londonpropel.org.uk
At this site, you can log into your account, update the information about Your Organisation, and start answering the application questions, stopping, and coming back when you need to.
There are two stages to the EOI:
· Equity questions to assess whether your organisation is led by and for
· Three application questions.
Q: If I’m successful, will my funder remain the same?
Not necessarily. Propel is a funder collaboration, so your funder and grant manager may change.
Q: Why are there different cohorts to apply?
Propel funded organisations of different lengths, who all start and finish their projects at different times. Some of you finish in December 2025, others may run through until autumn 2026 and beyond. We’ve created three separate cohorts on the portal, grouping you depending on your grant end date. This makes it a little easier to manage on our portal and you can check your cohort here.
- Cohort 1: Grants ending before 31st March 2026
- Cohort 2: Grants ending between 1st April – 31st August 2026
- Cohort 3: Grants ending after 1st September 2026
All cohorts submit applications at the same time, will be assessed in the same way, and have the same chances of being awarded funding.
Q: Why do long-term grants mean fewer grants distributed overall?
Propel has always had systemic change at it’s core. We know that in order to create change, this work takes time, capacity, and an iterative approach, which is why we’re focused on funding over the long term. Propel continues to work towards its ambition of £100 million of funding over ten years, and is offering all organisations the opportunity to express their interest in applying for a long term grant. We also know, that long term work requires significant investment, to continue paying salaries, cover core costs, develop partnerships, and build capacity, alongside working with your communities.
We’ve been asked why we can’t fund all organisations for a lesser amount, but smaller grants would not be sufficient to enable organisations work systemically. Propel has always set out to do funding differently, and these longer term, larger grants aim to recognise and cover the significant resource it takes to work systemically.
Eligibility
Q: Who is eligible to apply?
Any organisation that has previously received a Propel grant is eligible to apply. However the Long-term grants will prioritise organisations that are led by and for the communities they work to support, deeply embedded in and knowledgeable about them. Furthermore, these organisations should have a sound approach to working systemically to address complex issues in London. You can read the guidance for more details.
Q: We are not an equity-led organisation, is there any point in us applying?
Yes, but Propel has made a commitment to fund at least 75% led by and for organisations.
You will need to be able to demonstrate that principles of equity and justice are at the centre of your approach. For example, this might be written into your articles of association or in your strategy, it might be highlighted on your website and/or recent materials you have published, or you might be the lead organisation working with organisations that are themselves by and for. Your work may have been designed with the input of the communities you intend to reach, and you may be taking steps to ensure that the most marginalised communities are able to participate in your work.
Q: How many organisations will you fund?
Currently, we estimate that around 30% of applications will be funded, dependent on commitment and approval from Funders.
Q: Can I apply as part of a partnership or consortium?
Yes. However, there needs to be a lead organisation and, if invited to Stage Two, we will ask for a written partnership agreement, such as a memorandum of understanding (MOU). We will consider these situations on a case by case basis assessing how likely there is to be stability in that arrangement for the long term, one of Propel’s principles.
Q: We have held a Propel grant through a hosted organisation, due to not being an eligible organisation ourselves. Are we able to apply for a LTG using this same mechanism?
A: We will consider applications from organisations being hosted. However, you will need to demonstrate how both the host and hosted organisation plan to manage this relationship over such a long-term period. This could also include any plans you may have to register as an eligible organisation over this time period. We would expect to see a written agreement in place to cover how this relationship would work, including any costs retained by the host organisation to manage this relationship.
Q: Can I apply for less than 7 years?
The intention of Propel is to support long term funding and we expect that most grants made will be for seven years. However, if you think a shorter term grant makes more sense for your organisation, you should explain this in your Expression of Interest, or chat to your grant manager before submitting your application.
Q: What do you mean by “systems change”?
Systems change means understanding and tackling the root causes of issues facing our capital, not just dealing with their consequences. It’s about addressing the inbuilt inequalities which privilege some groups in society and disadvantage others, rather than just the symptoms.
An example of systems change would be enabling organisations to identify the root causes of issues such as poverty, and to create strategies, including advocacy, to change the societal structures which keep the most marginalised communities in poverty.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to systems change, there’s many ways we can think about systems change. You can find more resources about systems change here.
Finance
Q: How much can I apply for?
You can apply for up to the same average annual amount as you are currently funded through Propel, for up to seven years, and up to a maximum of £1.5m. For more details, visit the guidance.
Q: In the question related to “How much money are you requesting from Propel?” what is expected to include in the text box?
That text box is only in case you feel the need to include extra information or explain any specific situation. As mentioned in the guidance, we are only requesting the total amount at this stage and no additional details.
Q: What if my current grant exceeds the £1.5 million cap?
Due to Propel’s intention to fund multiple programmes, organisations may not apply for over £1.5 million. If your current grant exceeds this amount, you will need to adjust your grant request.
Q: What if I think I need more money?
If you receive less than £100,000 annually on average and you think your programme needs more money to achieve your systems change goals, we invite you to discuss with your current grant manager whether it is justified to apply for a higher amount or not. This will be decided on a case by case basis.
Q: What do you mean by core costs?
Propel Long-term grants have been designed to provide flexible funding for organisations for up to seven years. Funding can be spent across both core and programme funding as you can see in the guidance.
Core funding to help cover an organisation’s core costs, sometimes referred to as operating costs or overheads.
Core costs typically describe an organisation’s routine running costs, such as governance, staff salaries and development, budgeting and accounting, communications and IT costs, administration and human resources, rent, insurance, heating and power.
Q: Is there a maximum amount I can spend on core or programme costs?
No. We trust that you will apply for what you need. At EOI we are only asking you to tell us the total amount you are applying for. We will only ask you for a detailed budget at Stage Two, where we will assess how your budget supports you to meet your systems change goals.
Q: Should we include costs for evaluation?
Yes, and also dissemination of your learnings during this process. Consider how the learning you gain throughout the Propel process could contribute to systems change.
Q: Should we include costs for learning?
Yes. Funders are committed to ensuring that learning is resourced as part of this work. For example, you might factor in up to a day a month to focus on internal activity, e.g. Board reports, and external activity, e.g. funder reports, reporting.
Please include time to participate in the Learning Network, which will include around three days per year to come together collectively and learn as a community.
Q: Is there a fixed amount expected in the budget for any category?
No.
The application process
Q: Some of the information on our supporting documents has changed, how do we tell you?
You can update the following documents through the portal:
- Governing document
- Most recent signed annual accounts
- Safeguarding Policy
- Partnership agreement
Remember, it is your responsibility to keep documents up to date. Funders will review them as part of the assessment process.
Q: Is there a word count?
For equity questions, we suggest around 250 words per question, but don’t worry if you go a little over or under.
For the three application questions, we recommend between 600-800 words. Again, this isn’t a test, so don’t panic about trying to get your answers exact.
Q: What level of detail are you expecting in my answers?
We know it is difficult to predict what will happen in the future, so we’re not expecting you to know everything. Each EOI question has supporting text guiding you towards the information we’re looking for.
If you know specifics, such as partners, community groups you might work with, courses your team might attend, then be sure to include them.
Q: Can I get the guidance and application forms in a different format?
If you need any of the documents in a different format (large print, audio, or easy read) please get in touch with info@londonpropel.org.uk.
You can download Word copies of all the forms in advance so that you can see what we will be asking from you before you start. You can also use the Word documents to draft your answers before you upload them.
Q: Will we be able to make changes to our proposal at Stage Two?
Yes, you will be able to give more details or make some adjustments during the Stage Two. However, you won’t be able to increase the total amount of the grant you are applying for.
Q: Will you accept applications made by AI?
You can use AI tools to help write your funding application. We will not reject an application just because AI was used. AI tools can support you if English is not your first language or if you are new to writing funding applications. Many of our funded partners find that using AI helps them draft their applications more quickly and with less effort. However, AI should be used with caution. While it can provide a useful starting point, the content it generates is not always as strong as it may seem. AI supported applications do not tell the unique story of your community and how you want to support them. Applications that are too generic may be at a disadvantage and funded organisations are responsible for checking the accuracy of information they share in their application.
Q: If I have received a Propel grant less than a year ago, how can I present my learnings so far?
We understand that you may have had less time to see changes emerge, but we expect to see how your experience, even if it is not much, contributes to your future vision with Propel. You can also draw on your broader organisational experiences to shape that vision.
Q: Can we adjust our plans in the future after the grant is awarded?
Yes. We understand that there is a lot of uncertainty in knowing what will happen in the future and we trust that you are capable of identifying the changes that need to be made. You will have the flexibility to make adjustments and work with your funder on how to make them.
Q: What support is available at EOI stage?
We will host, and record a webinar for EOI applicants, which will hopefully answer all of your questions. Additionally, we will update this document regularly with new questions as they arise.
If you have general questions about your application, your grant manager can support you, but we won’t be able to offer individual feedback to you application.
If your questions are about the Portal, or you have a technical query around submitting you can contact Propel here.
The Propel Portal
Q: We’re halfway through making an application – if we save it, how do we access it again?
When you save your application, you are emailed a link which you will need to save in order to access your application again.
Q: We’re struggling with the Portal – can we talk to someone?
Yes, you can email us at info@londonpropel.org.uk and send a screenshot to help us understand what’s gone wrong or you can call 020 7255 4488 or 07307468162.
Q: We can’t upload all of the documents required at the end of the application form. What should we do?
If there is a technical issue with uploading documents, please contact info@londonpropel.org.uk and we’ll help you.
Q: We’ve completed our application – if we submit, will we get a copy of the final application?
Yes, you’ll receive an immediate email confirming submission, and a pdf of your application. Don’t forget to check your junk folder!
Q: We’ve completed our application, but it won’t let us submit – help!
Sometimes the website gets very busy on deadline days. Try to submit your application with enough time to allow for any issues. If you still can’t submit your application, get in touch with us at info@londonpropel.org.uk.
Q: We’d like to give you some feedback on the application process, how do we do that?
In the email confirming that your application has been submitted, there will be a link to a feedback survey where you can let us know what we can improve.
I’ve submitted my EOI, now what?
Q: Can I change my application once I have submitted it?
No. Please make sure you’re happy with your application before pressing ‘submit’.
Q: Who will see my application?
Applications will be available to view by funders and equity partner organisations collaborating on Propel.
Q: How will my application be assessed?
Expressions of Interest will be assessed by funders and equity partners, before being reviewed at a decision making panel made up of collaborating partners.
Q: How will decisions be made?
Organisations that are led by and for the communities they serve, and have a clear systems change goal will be prioritised for funding. We will also be looking to ensure a diverse pool of organisations, taking into account the eligibility criteria that we are looking for that you can find here.
Q: Who will make decisions on applications?
The final decisions will be made by a collective panel made up of funders and equity partners.
Q: When will decisions be made?
Applicants will be notified about the outcome of Expressions of Interest by the end of June 2025.
Q: What is the likelihood of going through to stage 2?
Currently, we are expecting to invite around 30% of applications to apply at the next stage, dependent on commitment and approval from Funders.
Q: Will we get feedback on our application if it’s not successful?
We truly appreciate the time and effort that goes into each EOI. Given the high number of applications we’re expecting, we won’t be able to provide individual feedback. However, we’ll be sharing a blog to offer insight into our decision-making process and the factors that guided our choices
Q: Will I be able to apply again in a future Propel grant if my application is unsuccessful?
No. Propel is a ten year funding programme, once our Long-term grants are announced, we won’t have any additional funding to commit to Propel.
Q: Will we go through a Due diligence process again as part of this application?
At stage two, funders may need to review due diligence relating to your organisation, governance, safeguarding and financial information. This might vary depending on how recently your organisation was assessed for Propel funding, any changes there have been within your organisation or its policies, if the lead organisation for your Propel funded work has changed, or if the funder considering you for a Long-term grant is different than the funder(s) who funded you before.
We aim however to keep this to a minimum and your current funder will share as much information as they can to minimise and hopefully eliminate any duplication of questions you have been asked before.
Q: Will we have to prepare any additional information?
Your EOI will be assessed only with the information that you share in response to the form questions, and existing information that we hold on your previous or current Propel funding. If you are invited to apply to stage two, you will need to prepare a further application.