Small charities in London are urged to apply for a share of £1m in funding to help communities in the capital recover from the Covid pandemic.

The Community Grants Fund has been launched by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to support older people, those with disabilities and in low-income households. Another focus is to help Black and Asian communities, who have been disproportionately impacted by the health crisis.

The grants range from £1,000 to £10,000 to fund initiatives such as supporting mental health needs, food growing schemes, intergenerational projects and schemes supporting children and young people.

The Fund is being handed out in three separate rounds, the first launching this week and is open until 14 February 2022. This is for £350,000 of the funding pot.

The following two rounds will open in Spring and Summer next year.

“Every Londoner has been affected by the pandemic but older and disabled Londoners, our Black and Asian communities and those living on lower incomes have been impacted disproportionately,” said Khan.

“Many experienced lockdown in overcrowded housing, increased social isolation affecting their mental health, or difficulties accessing education and health and care services due to digital exclusion.

“This new £1million Community Grants Fund – which will enable grassroots community organisations and charities to enhance their work - will make a real difference to the lives of many Londoners.”

Communities should be leading and shaping their recovery from the pandemic. My new £1m Community Grants Fund will support grassroots organisations in making a real difference to the lives of Londoners.

— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) December 13, 2021

The funding is supported by equity organisations Ubele Initiative, Inclusion London LGBT+ Consortium and the Women’s Resource Centre.

“The Ubele Initiative welcomes this opportunity for communities to come together and identify their own needs as we emerge out of the confusion, upheaval and challenge of 2020/21,” said Ubele programme director Michael Hamilton.

“We particularly endorse the focus of this fund on smaller and medium sized projects as we know it was, they who were most challenged by the Covid emergency.”

LGBT+ Consortium head of membership and engagement Briony Williamson added: “After the additional challenges of the pandemic, which compounded the barriers and inequalities of opportunity and resources already faced by London’s LGBT+ communities, we are so pleased to be able to work with our members and other LGBT+ groups to access this fund to support the enormously important work that they are doing.”

Khan hopes that 160 organisations will benefit from the Fund.

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