Community Chest Grants

Community Chest is a grant programme that has been running since 2023. It funds local community groups to deliver ‘social prescribing’ type of services and activities aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Waltham Forest residents.

We work closely with partners from the health, care, community, and voluntary sectors to support residents with specific needs linked to health inequalities identified across the borough.

Across three rounds from 2023 to 25 we funded 37 projects worth nearly £215,000.

In 2026, the programme is divided into two separate schemes, each centred around a theme as follows:

Projects addressing the mental well-being of Black boys and young men 

Closed for applications in early May. All funding has now been awarded, and applications are no longer accepted. Read information on the awarded grants (PDF)

Projects addressing the theme of “Community Food and Connection”

Currently open to applications, local groups have until Wednesday 9 September to apply.

Community Food and Connection grants

We want everyone in the borough to have an equal chance of a long, healthy life. Good food and strong social connections are two of the building blocks of good health, yet food insecurity, social isolation and loneliness still affect many residents, disproportionately affecting communities already facing health inequalities.

This round of the Community Chest funds small, community-led projects that improve access to nutritious food and bring people together. 

We are running it in close partnership with Waltham Forest CVS (WFCVS).

Grants of up to £3,000 for individual groups or grants of up to £6,000 for groups applying in partnerships or consortia are available from the total pot of £30,000.

We are looking for community-led projects that use food to bring people together, build skills, improve wellbeing and strengthen food security. We especially welcome creative approaches that go beyond the traditional food bank or soup-kitchen model to empower residents through learning, participation and shared experience.

Examples include:  

• community meals
• food co-operatives
• cooking and nutrition groups
• community supermarkets
• food-growing projects
• recipe clubs
• community cafés
• food redistribution schemes
• budgeting
• meal-planning
• smart-shopping workshops

We also welcome projects that combine food with arts, culture, volunteering, environmental action or wider wellbeing support, and that celebrate cultural food traditions or reduce food waste.

A community panel made up of representatives from local VCFSE groups will assess the applications anonymously and will decide on funding. Further information on the Community Panel, including details on how to become a panel member, can be found in the Community Panel advert (PDF). 

To apply, you will need to complete an application form (Word file) and present your proposal in full.

Please read through the guidance notes(PDF) for information on the funding criteria, key dates and other application guidance notes. 

To submit an application, fill in the attached application form and return it as a Word document to social.prescribing@walthamforest.gov.uk. Applications in other formats, such as video submissions, are also accepted. Please follow the video application guidance (PDF) for information on how to prepare a video submission.

We will be hosting three online information sessions to give a programme overview and to answer any questions on the application process. 

Online information sessions

An hour-long online information session will cover the key dates, criteria and guidance and Q&A section. The sessions will have the same format, you only need to attend one, but are welcome to attend more if you wish.

Join Monday 3 August at 11am

Join Thursday 6 August at 2pm

Join Wednesday 2 September at 2pm 

The September session will be extended to 2 hrs to allow time for any individual pre-submission advice for the groups. 

We will also be running drop-in sessions at local libraries, where applicants can speak with us about their applications. 

All sessions will take place between 10am to 2pm on the dates below.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by email within 8 weeks of the closing date. 

It is recommended that you check your junk email or contact us at the email address below if you have not heard from us after this date.

If you have any queries about eligibility or making a submission,
please email: social.prescribing@walthamforest.gov.uk