GrantRadar

Preston City Council

Community Health Grant Scheme

Preston City Council's Community Health Grant Scheme offers up to £10,000 for community-based projects that help Preston adults stop smoking, support people before, during or after a cancer diagnosis, or encourage people to take up vaccinations. It favours projects that tackle health inequalities in Preston's most deprived wards, and it does not fund clinical advice or treatment, or research. Roughly 70% of the money is earmarked for smoking cessation. Each organisation can make only one application across the whole scheme, through one of three windows; the first closes on 19 October 2026.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £10,000
Closes in
1 day left
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Organisations delivering projects for residents aged 18 and over in any ward of Preston (Preston City Council district)
  • The application form lists community groups, voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, and its organisation-type options include registered charity, CIC, partnership, LLC and sole trader
  • Applicants must have an active business bank account, be able to provide end-of-year financial accounts or three months' bank statements, hold public liability insurance (and employers' liability where relevant), and be able to deliver within an agreed timeframe
  • All projects must be accessible and inclusive and finish by 31 March 2028
  • Only one application per organisation is allowed across the whole scheme

What it funds

Projects that improve the health of Preston residents and address one or more of three priorities:

  • Helping people stop smoking
  • Supporting people before, during or after a cancer diagnosis (prevention, early diagnosis, support during treatment, recovery, or improving quality of life for people affected by cancer)
  • Encouraging people to take up vaccinations
  • Delivery through community events
  • Delivery through awareness campaigns
  • Delivery through education and training
  • Delivery through outreach activities
  • Delivery through physical activity programmes

about 70% of funding is proposed for smoking cessation, 20% for cancer support and 10% for vaccine uptake. Projects should add to, not replace or copy, existing services. The council encourages projects that remove barriers to health services in areas of health inequality, are innovative, build community skills and capacity, and have sustainable long-term impact.

What it will not fund

  • Projects that include research activities
  • Using the grant as match funding for existing projects without a clear and demonstrable need
  • Projects that do not address at least one of the three priorities (smoking cessation, cancer pre- and post-diagnosis, vaccine uptake)
  • Projects outside Preston City Council's local authority district
  • Projects that seek to provide clinical advice, treatment or interventions

How to apply

  1. Read the scheme guidance to check that your organisation and project are eligible
  2. Complete the Expression of Interest form online (four pages, about 20 minutes; it times out after an hour of inactivity), or download it and email it to the council
  3. Apply within a funding window: 21 September to 19 October 2026; 4 March to 1 April 2027; or September to 1 October 2027
  4. At the end of each window the council shortlists eligible projects; a panel of three officers scores them and recommends to the Elected Member for Health and Wellbeing
  5. Projects are scored on benefit to the local community (50%), value for money (40%) and development and improvement, including sustainability (10%); a minimum score of 40% is needed
  6. Decisions are approved, partially approved, returned for resubmission, or rejected; successful applicants receive a grant agreement once they have supplied proof of insurance, end-of-year accounts and relevant policies

the council may close a window early if it has enough eligible applications or the funding is fully allocated, so apply early. Only one application per organisation across the whole scheme.

Have ready

  • Expression of Interest form
  • Public liability insurance details (policy number and provider) and, where relevant, employers' liability cover
  • End-of-year financial accounts, or three months' bank statements
  • Relevant policies

insurance proof, accounts and policies are required before the grant agreement is issued.

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