Any voluntary or community organisation that provides services in the London Borough of Lewisham can apply for a Main Grant—provided they meet the programme’s eligibility and funding criteria.
To be eligible to apply, organisations must typically be:
Not-for-profit:
To be eligible for a Main Grant from Lewisham Council you must be a not for profit organisation. The following types of organisation are eligible to apply for a grant:
- Registered Charity
- Company Limited by Guarantee
- CIC (Community Interest Company)
- Cooperative
- Other – constituted (including CIO’s and Social Enterprises)
- Funding can only be given to established organisations or groups (no less than 12 months old) and not to individuals.
For neighbourhood funding, working in partnership:
Collaborative or partnership applications are encouraged, though one organisation will need to agree to hold the funds for the partnership.
- Serving Lewisham residents: Your organisation should be delivering a service that benefits at least 90%people living in the borough.
- Properly constituted: You should have a governing document (e.g. constitution or articles of association), a bank account in the organisation’s name, and appropriate governance structures.
For a Transition Grant:
You must be currently funded by a Lewisham Main Grant for the period up to 31 March 2026. you are unable to apply for what you are currently funded.
For more information about eligibility and applying for a Main Grant, read the application guidance.
What the Lewisham Main Grant cannot fund
- Lobbying, political activity or the promotion of private interests
- Projects with significant ongoing financial/revenue implications for the council which are not covered by the bid
- Religious activity (although we can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and doesn’t include religious content)