The people
We fund projects led by and for people living in neighbourhoods experiencing the highest levels of social and financial disadvantage, and groups of people in society that are most affected by health inequalities. These can be communities connected by a local place and people with a shared identity or experience that makes them more likely to experience poor mental and physical health.
Our Active Communities funded partners support many kinds of communities by enabling stronger social connections and collective control, including disabled people, people experiencing racial inequity, young carers, older people and women experiencing domestic violence. Our Health Justice Fund supports funded partners working with us on one of our current priorities, such as private and social tenants through our Homes for Health funding programme. You can find out more about the people we fund in our project stories section.
The organisations
Information on the types of organisation eligible to apply for funding is available here. We also publish specific eligibility criteria for potential applicants when we open in the application guidance.
Where we fund
We fund projects in England, Scotland and Wales.
Our funding comes from six society lotteries, which operate through The Health Lottery. Each of these raises money for a specific area of Great Britain.
We make decisions on where to fund based on different types of data and evidence, and recognise that there are complex ways that people experience health inequalities.
What are the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)?
Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) are official measures of relative deprivation for small areas, recognised by the governments in England, Scotland and Wales. IMD is one way to assess levels of financial and social (socio-economic) disadvantage.
Find out more about IMD by visiting the official websites:
Our map shows places in the most disadvantaged 30% of neighbourhoods across England, Scotland and Wales according to the IMD.
About our funding process
Our funding openings are announced on social media, in our newsletter and our website. We generally have a two-stage process for applying for funding and outline the process in the application guidance for each opening. Each application is assessed and a panel of senior Trust staff make funding decisions. Applicants are always informed if they have been successful or not, and we offer feedback to all stage two applicants.
The Trust’s usual practice is to request some kind of progress report every six months during a grant.
