Small Grants

Lewisham Council offers several microgrant programmes. These run annually for Tamil Heritage Month, Lunar New Year, LGBTQ+ History Month, International Women's Day, Windrush Day, Refugee Week, Borough of Sanctuary, East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month, and Black History Month.

Small Grant Funds Open Now

East and Southeast Asian Heritage Month - grants £250-£1000

For the whole of September we celebrate East and South East Asian heritage, culture and history.

Every September, ESEA Heritage Month is a time to honour, celebrate and reflect on the rich and diverse cultures, histories and contributions of East and Southeast Asian communities across the UK. Lewisham is home to many residents from East and Southeast Asian backgrounds, and this month is an opportunity to recognise the vital role these communities play in shaping our borough.

This September, we will once again be supporting local events and activities that celebrate East and Southeast Asian heritage, culture and lived experience in all its forms, past, present and future.

The 2026 national theme, Evolving Threads, reflects how ESEA communities continue to weave together stories, practices and solidarities across generations and borders. It invites us to think about connection, continuity and change – how culture is carried, adapted and reimagined over time, and how communities build collective strength through shared experience.

We are offering small grants of up to £1,000 to support people living or working in Lewisham to develop creative, cultural or community activities taking place during ESEA Heritage Month in September.

We welcome a wide range of ideas, including (but not limited to):

  • community gatherings or shared meals with a cultural focus
  • intergenerational projects bringing people together to share stories and experiences
  • workshops, talks or storytelling events
  • exhibitions or creative projects exploring identity, migration or history
  • cultural activities such as music, dance, art or craft
  • film screenings, performances or digital projects
  • community-led celebrations that bring people together

Whether you are exploring heritage, identity, memory or future possibilities, we want to support activities that centre ESEA voices and experiences and create opportunities for people to connect, learn and celebrate together.

Key dates

  • applications open: Friday 29 May 2026
  • deadline for applications: 11.59pm on Monday 22 June 2026
  • events take place: 1-30 September 2026

Find out more and apply here: ESEA Heritage Month 2026 Small Grants Application Form

Creative Health in Lewisham Neighbourhood Microgrants 2026  – Small Grants up to £2000

Are you a locally rooted organisation who already delivers in the area, or can connect to an established local organisation?

Would you like funding to bring people and new partners together to support creative health activity in Lewisham’s Neighbourhoods?

What is creative health? 

Creative Health activities can include arts, culture, heritage and nature-based activities such as:

  • Physical activity through dance or movement, getting into nature, taking part in arts outdoors
  • Encouraging community growing, food learning or garden-based activities
  • Creative activities that reduce stress levels and improve mental wellbeing
  • Activities that celebrate identity and lived experience together with neighbours

Lewisham Council in partnership with South-East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB), is asking for applications to the Creative Health in Lewisham Neighbourhoods Microgrants Programme for 2026

The aims of these Creative Health grants is to:

  1.  Show the value of community-led creative health projects and the impact they can have on people’s health and wellbeing.
  2.  Fund people and organisations to work together that don’t normally deliver in partnership, leading projects and ideas which could be supported to grow after this funding, reaching more people.
  3.  Trial creative health projects in new spaces, try out new approaches that can be used in the future. 
  4.  Connect community organisations and creative health practitioners to the NHS Integrated Neighbourhood teams (INT’s) and local community support organisations. 

Grant Details 

  • Grants of up to £2000 to support creative health projects and partnerships.
  • Project budget can extend already existing activity and/or support core costs of an organisation to establish new partnerships.
  • Four grants will be awarded in total, in the north, south, east and west Lewisham Neighbourhoods. Find out more about Lewisham neighbourhoods here: A neighbourhood health service in Lewisham - South East London ICS 
  • Activity to take place between July – Dec 2026  
  • Project ideas must support adult residents who would benefit from activities that could improve cardiovascular disease health outcomes and connect to at least two pillars of Lewisham’s ‘Lifestyle medicine service’ which are: 
    • Physical Activity 
    • Nutrition and Food Learning
    • Stress Management and Mental Wellbeing
    • Improving Rest/Relaxation
    • Improving Social Connection
    • Celebrating Identity and Lived Experience
  • Organisations must have experience working with vulnerable adults, plus all safeguarding policies and insurances.
  • The activity will be evaluated by London Arts and Health, and the grant recipients need to work with them to support evaluation. 

Support 

If you have any question’s please contact cultural.development@lewisham.gov.uk. 

Who can apply? 

Locally rooted organisations who already deliver in Lewisham, or can connect to an established local organisation

Community Groups connecting to new partners

If you are a creative practitioner who would like to connect to a community organisation that may apply for this grant fill in this contact form

Creative Practitioner: Connect with a Community Partner – Fill in form

If you are a community-based organisation that wants to connect with a new creative facilitator please fill in this contact form 

Community Organisation: Connect with a Creative Practitioner – Fill in form

If you are a community based organisation or Creative Practitioner that would like to connect with an NHS or Health team please fill in this contact form 

Connect with an NHS / Health Partner – Fill in form

If you are an NHS organisation or team that is interesting in partnering with a community-based organisation group for this grant fill in this contact form

NHS / Health Team: Partner with a Community Organisation – Fill in form

Timeline 

  • Grant launched Wednesday 13th of May 
  • On-line information workshop Tuesday 19th of May 
  • In person information workshop Thursday 21st of May 
  • Application deadline 11.59pm on 7th June 2026
  • Activity needs to take place between July – December 2026

For further information and to apply, please see the application form. If you have read through the application document and have further questions, please contact culturaldevelopment@lewisham.gov.uk  

Applications close 11.59pm on 7th June 2026

Neighbourhood Health Creative Communication Grant  – One grant - £4000

Does your work connect to local communities in a culturally relevant and creative way?

Could you create a resource that creatively explains and connects people to Lewisham’s Neighbourhood Health activities?

What are Neighbourhood Health services and activities? 

In Lewisham and across the country, the NHS is working closely with local councils, voluntary groups, and community organisations to develop and deliver neighbourhood health services, in line with the ambitions set out in the national 10 Year Health Plan. Take a look at this webpage to learn more: A neighbourhood health service in Lewisham - South East London ICS

Lewisham Council in partnership with South-East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB), is asking for applications to a Neighbourhood Health Creative Communication Grant 

The aim of this Creative Communication grant is to:

  1. Share clear and creative information about local health and prevention services and activities
  2. Help people understand services like the Lifestyle Medicine Service, which is open to all Lewisham residents 
  3. Explain what “neighbourhood health” means in a simple way
  4. Help people understand how they can get involved in their neighbourhood
  5.  Show how community groups and creative projects already support health in Lewisham

Grant Details 

  • One grant of £4,000 for a creative project that helps explain neighbourhood health services and activities in Lewisham
  • We are open to ideas for this grant and how best we can communicate neighbourhood health across Lewisham, ideas that have come up previously: 
  • Short film explaining Lewisham’s ‘Lifestyles Medicine’ service
  • Resource highlighting the community’s role in Neighbourhood Health 
  • A series of events exploring what Neighbourhood Health means to communities 
  • A visual design highlighting prevention activities that support Neighbourhood Health in Lewisham

But to reconfirm, we are open to different ways of creatively communicating the Neighbourhood Health model.

The funded organisation will be given detailed resources and be connected to Neighbourhood health services, to complete the work.

Timeline 

  • Grant launched Wednesday 13th of May 
  • On-line information workshop Tuesday 19th of May 
  • In person information workshop Wednesday 20th May 
  • Application deadline 11.59pm on 7th June 2026
  • Project timeline between July – December 2026
  • All resources need to be produced by end December 2026.

Apply here: 

Support 

If you have any question’s please contact cultural.development@lewisham.gov.uk. 

For further information and to apply, please see the application form. If you have read through the application document and have further questions, please contact culturaldevelopment@lewisham.gov.uk  

Applications close 11.59pm on 7th June 2026