Fellowship Fund 2025

Applications are now open for the 2025/26 Fellowship Fund grants programme, for activities that will happen across the borough.

This year we are offering two tiers of grants to support events and activities that are free to attend, and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion in Waltham Forest.

Representation is part of the funding criteria that we use to assess applications. We would like to see proposals that prioritise relevant local partners connected with the communities you aim to reach.

Collaboration Grants 

Collaboration Grants of up to £9,500 for a Lead Partner to support 4 to 6 organisations and community groups to work collaboratively.

• The purpose of the Collaboration Grants is to encourage collaboration between community organisations and groups and to share knowledge between them.
• A lead partner will apply for the Collaboration Grant and distribute grant funds to the other partners
• The grant includes £1,500 to be used by the Lead Partner for additional administrative support, coordination and evaluation.
• There will also be additional Council support from a grant manager to support the Lead Partner with evaluation and from the Waltham Forest Council Communications team to support with marketing.
• This year the collaboration grants are focused around four key programming moments:
  • South Asian Heritage Month (17 July to18 August 2025)
  • the Mayor of London’s Community Weekend (13 to 14 September 2025)
  • Black History Month (October 2025)
  • Interfaith Week (9 to 16 November 2025)
• These programming moments have been selected based on engagement with VCS groups in 2024 around Community and Civic events but will be reviewed annually to ensure relevance and inclusivity.
• By taking a collaborative approach, we aim to build up more coordinated programmes of events and activities around these key moments rather than one-off events.

Small Grants 

Small Grants of between £500 to £2000 that support an individual event or activity.

You can apply for both the Collaboration Grant and the Small Grants. However, you are likely to only receive one of the grants if you are applying for the same proposal.

We welcome applications from:

• Local voluntary or community groups
• Local CICs (Community Interest Companies)
• Local Faith-based organisations

You cannot apply for the grants if you are a sole trader or business.

We’re funding events and activities that bring people together and celebrate the diverse communities of Waltham Forest. This could include, but is not limited to:

• Cultural and heritage events (for example South Asian Heritage Month, Black History Month)
• Inclusive celebrations of faith
• Events that celebrate and are inclusive of people with disabilities or special educational needs (SEND)
• Celebrations of LGBTQ+ communities

We are looking for events that take place in different neighbourhoods and spaces across the borough, particularly those in areas and locations that may not have be well-served with events and activities.

The Fellowship Fund supports the ‘Community-powered Culture’ aim outlined in our Cultural Action Plan. Applications will be assessed against the aims and outcomes set out in the action plan, as below.

Aim

Our community has a central role in making decisions about culture. Increased community power and ownership results in programming and participation that is representative of, and responsive to, our diverse borough.

Outcomes

• More people participate in cultural activity and community events and this participation is fully representative of the demographics of the borough.
• The community’s role in making decisions about culture and events grows, resulting in more agency and power.
• Increased collaboration between groups through cultural and community-led activity strengthens community cohesion.

We ask you to explain how your proposed events or activities respond to these aims and outcomes in your application.

• Take place before 28 February 2026
• Be free to attend
• Be open and inclusive, not just for your own community
• Respond to the Cultural Action Plan outcomes through the following criteria:
  • Location: your proposal takes place relevant community spaces across the borough e.g. community centres, libraries, outdoor spaces, cafes, shops etc.
  • Representation: Your proposal involves diverse organisations and groups that represent and celebrate the communities you are engaging with.
  • Inclusion: Your proposal considers the community’s role in decision making to help shape and deliver your activities.
  • Community Cohesion: You engage with diverse groups outside of your own to champion sharing and learning.

The Fellowship Fund will be awarded in two rounds:

Round 1

• Application deadline: 5pm, Thursday 19 June 2025
• Event delivery window: July to August 2025

Round 2

• Application deadline: 5pm, Thursday 31 July 2025
• Event delivery window: September 2025 to February 2026

For Collaboration Grants we will facilitate as series of online meetings to bring partners together for the key programmes. To register please click the relevant link below:

• Register for South Asian Heritage Month partner meeting, 6pm to 7pm on 9 June 2025
• Register for Mayor of London Community Weekend partner meeting, 6pm to 7pm on 23 June 2025
• Register for Black History Month partner meeting, 6pm to 7pm on 30 June 2025
• Register for Interfaith Week partner meeting, 6pm to 7pm on 7 July 2025

The purpose of these meetings is for organisations and groups to meet each other, identify potential lead partners and form collaboration groups.

If you are unable to attend the relevant partner meetings and would like to find out more or ask questions, please email culture@walthamforest.gov.uk

Collaboration Grant lead partner

The lead partner is responsible for: 

• submitting their application for a Collaboration Grant
• distributing grant funds to the other partners
• coordinating other partners to develop and deliver the proposal, evaluation, administration to cover grant payments and reporting to us
• liaising with other partners to provide us with a communications timeline, images and marketing material
• working with a Grant Manager who will support the Lead Partner with evaluation.

You can still deliver an activity as a Lead Partner of the Collaboration Grants but your application must clearly outline other organisations and community groups (we recommend 4 to 6) you intend to work collaboratively with and provide part of the overall funding to.

To apply for a grant, please download an application form:

• Download Fellowship Fund Collaboration Grant application form (Word file)
• Download Fellowship Fund Small Grant application form (Word file)

If you have accessibility requirements or would prefer a different application format, please contact us to discuss how we can support you.

You can reach out to us by email at Culture@walthamforest.gov.uk to:

• Ask any questions
• Request support with accessibility

Read the Fellowship Fund application criteria (Word) for further information on how we score applications.