Please note this grant scheme is now closed
The Small Grant Scheme fund aims to support local organisations and individuals to create new jobs, learning, training, and educational programmes through the means of arts, culture, innovation, public realm and creative placemaking in Hackney, Newham, Waltham Forest and Tower Hamlets.
The Small Grant Scheme accepts applications starting from £1k and up to £5,000.
Each year we evolve the design of the programme with feedback taken from our impact evaluation and our ever-growing capacity building network.
The scheme is part of the Westfield East Bank Creative Futures Fund, an ambitious five-year programme that aims to invest £10 million into the local communities of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Waltham Forest.
In 2024, we will announce Year 5 of the community grant schemes.
In Year 1, the Small Grant Scheme awarded £102,004 to 21 projects.
In Year 2, the Small Grant Scheme awarded £200k to 46 projects.
In Year 3, the Small Grant Scheme awarded £64,622 to 13 projects.
In Year 4, the Small Grant Scheme awarded £22,150 to 5 projects.
For help and advice on making an application, please contact our Capacity Building Programme lead Lisa Stepanovic on capacitybuilding.ffl@outlook.com. Please also see upcoming workshops and sessions for practical support.
To stay in touch with our funding news, please sign up to our newsletter.
The scheme will fund projects that focus on one or more of the following funding themes:
We appreciate these four overarching areas are a broad spectrum, so to aid understanding of outcomes expected through the grants, we have developed a user-centred process.
Outcomes are the project’s short, medium or long-term goals that will lead to a meaningful impact for communities in the local boroughs. Applicants will be asked to identify a set number of outcomes that their project will achieve. The number of outcomes expected will be based on the grant scheme you are applying for.
We have provided a list of 13 short, medium and long-term outcomes to be selected.
| Short Term Outcomes | Medium/Long Term Outcomes |
|---|---|
| Participants gain technical/sector- specific and/or creative skills | Increased employability of participants |
| Participants gain essential skills | Increased capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship |
| Participants grow their networks and awareness of local opportunities | Increased diversity in the creative/entrepreneurial sector in the boroughs |
| Participants gain confidence in their potential and self-initiative | More diverse audiences engage with the cultural sector and benefit from community assets/available services |
| Participants are better equipped to process difficult emotions | Participants act as agents of change within the local community |
| Participants are equipped to act as agent of change in their boroughs | Organisations and schools integrate creative approaches within their projects |
| Organisations and schools are exposed to creative approaches to wellbeing |
In Year 4, we are also offering Using the Outcome/Impact Framework workshops from 24 May to 14 September, run by The Social Investment Consultancy (TSIC). Booking links will soon be available on our Capacity Building Programme webpage.
Local Engagement
In your application, we need to understand what the need is for your project, how this has been identified and how local people and/or lived experience have been involved in the planning and development of the proposed activities. You or your organisation should be able to demonstrate that you have good links and networks in the community to deliver the activities and collaboratively address the proposed outcomes.
In addition to the above outcomes, projects that have considered the below will be weighted more favourable:
If you are a grantee, we have a marketing and press guidance web page, which has further information and links to logos and other resources.
Watch our latest film featuring Year 2 grantees Eastside, Loop Labs and True Cadence.
The film was produced and directed by Chris Baker with Editor Will Cole and Colourist Harvey Gibson.
Open to
Please note this grant scheme is now closedFunding
£1,000-£5,000Apply by
Duration
6-12 monthsOutcomes
Minimum of two short to medium term outcomesCategories
Arts, Culture, HeritageActivities
The Small Grant Scheme focuses on projects around the four themes of employment opportunities, learning opportunities, young people and business and entrepreneurial support within the four boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest. Proposals from individuals, groups and organisations are all welcome.
Our Fund is about creating inclusive and sustainable opportunity — we are keen to back a range of activities and innovative ideas that drive the proposed outcomes. The Foundation for Future London is a strong advocate for the ability of creativity to enable levelling up opportunities and to be a strong contributor to the London economy. Therefore, we are keen to fund project activity that has origins in:
In addition, we expect to see the following focus:
For Small and Medium Grants:
Equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the forefront of the Foundation’s grant giving. We actively encourage applications from all communities including Black, Asian and ethnically diverse, disabled, learning disabled, unemployed and/or low waged, people without qualifications, vulnerably housed, Gypsies and Travellers, LGBTQ+, children and young people, older people and people with mental health issues or long-term health issues.
We want to make sure funding opportunities reach a wide audience and serve to support locally rooted charities and community focused initiatives. We also encourage applications from individuals and organisations led by local people whose projects engage and serve East London’s diverse communities.
To get a better understanding of the support areas and beneficiaries the Foundation’s funding seeks to target, see our list of groups in our Guidance Notes.
Small Grant Scheme projects will need to demonstrate a minimum of two short to medium term outcomes from our list of 13 short, medium or long-term goals that will lead to a meaningful impact for communities in the local boroughs. To see the full list, please see our Guidance Notes.
Audiences
Disabled peoplePlease make sure to read our Guidance Notes before applying.
We are now using our grant management software Flexigrant for online applications.
foundationforfuturelondon.flexigrant.com
The link can be accessed via the Small Grant Scheme and Medium Grant Scheme webpages.
Online applications will open on Monday 24 July and closes on Friday 22 Sept 2023.
Grants will be awarded on the week commencing 27 November 2023.
Commencement of projects – January 2024
Completion of projects — January 2025
Review Process
All applications will be carefully reviewed and evaluated against the four key core foundation themes as well as short, medium, and long-term goals, expected impact, user, and beneficiary groups and budgetary spend.
Shortlisting will take place internally via our online system and by three team members. Final awarding will be decided by the Foundation’s Grant Assessment panel feedback will be given to all applicants in the first instant via our capacity building programme workshop, followed by potential 121 requests, however level of feedback will be dependent on size of grant applied for.
Additional Considerations:
For access support or technical support using our Flexigrant online application system, please email:
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