The Public Health Small Grants Programme grew from the COVID‑19 community‑champion model, recognising the power of trusted local organisations to lead health initiatives. Designed to be flexible, relationship‑based and accessible, it provides up to £1,000 for grassroots groups to deliver culturally relevant activities aligned with Nottingham’s health priorities. Public Health Practitioners offer hands‑on support throughout, helping build organisational confidence and capacity. Nearly 100 grants have supported projects improving wellbeing, social connection, access to services and community resilience. Learning from delivery has shaped a strengthened, trust‑based model and informed future funding approaches, demonstrating that small, well‑supported investments can deliver significant impact.
Background – What Inspired the programme?
The small grants programme emerged from the energy and momentum created during the COVID‑19 pandemic, when Nottingham City Public Health Team built a vibrant network of health & wellbeing community champions who helped residents navigate an unprecedented public health crisis. That experience showed just how powerful community‑led action can be when Local people are resourced to lead solutions. Drawing on the national learning captured in the Community Vaccine Champions research and evaluation reports (GOV.UK), the Nottingham programme was designed not simply to continue this work but to evolve it, transforming a crisis‑born model into a long‑term, innovative approach that empowers communities to shape their own health and wellbeing initiatives.
Nottingham’s programme has been commended for its strong ability to engage a wide range of diverse communities, reaching far beyond the older age groups typically involved. An independent evaluation by Envoy Partnership highlighted this as a key strength, emphasising how effectively the programme harnessed trusted community voices to share health information. The evaluation also praised Nottingham for enabling community organisations to use their own expertise and for empowering them to design and deliver support that truly reflects local needs.
Insights gathered through close, ongoing work with our Health & Wellbeing Community Champions revealed that many local organisations held powerful ideas and deep, trusted relationships within their communities, yet lacked the small, flexible funding needed to test or grow their initiatives. By actively involving Champions in shaping the programme through regular conversations, shared problem‑solving, and co‑design sessions, we built a model rooted in what they told us mattered most. Champions were clear that micro‑grants, combined with hands on support from the Public Health team, could unlock significant community capacity. Their lived experience directly informed the programme’s design, ensuring it reflected local realities and enabled organisations to lead solutions that resonated with the people they serve
In response, the Public Health Small Grants Fund was established for three years, offering grants of up to £1,000 for local groups to deliver activity aligned to the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JLHWS) priorities. These small‑scale grants have enabled voluntary and community organisations to take forward creative and innovative local projects.
Objectives – what did we aim to achieve?
Insights from the Community Vaccine Champions programme highlighted the need for a funding model that reflected the realities of smaller grassroots organisations that included light‑touch, rooted in relationship, flexible, and responsive to community insight. Building on this learning, Public Health Team aimed to enable communities to design and deliver accessible, culturally relevant health initiatives, reduce health inequalities, and strengthen local capacity. The grants also created a pathway for residents and community leaders to share lived experience and insight directly with public health professionals, supporting meaningful engagement and increasing uptake of citywide and targeted health and wellbeing programmes.
The programme aimed to achieve the following outcomes:
- Improve health and wellbeing
- Support community‑led, culturally relevant activities that contribute to positive health and wellbeing outcomes for Nottingham residents.
- Broaden participation and reduce barriers
- Increase involvement from smaller and historically underrepresented community organisations by providing an accessible, supportive, and easy‑to‑navigate funding process.
- Strengthen two-way communication between the Public Health team and the community.
- Provide personalised, relationship‑based support from Public Health Practitioners to enhance project design, safeguarding, evaluation, and long‑term sustainability.
- Build community and organisational capacity
- Help groups develop skills in planning, budgeting, delivery, and monitoring, enabling them to confidently access larger funding opportunities in the future.
This approach aligns with the Council’s strategic plan 2025–29 and the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy, supporting the Public Health team to deliver improved outcomes for local communities while fostering stronger partnerships with community organisations.
Programme set up and community engagement
The programme was intentionally designed to offer year‑round funding opportunities, with a particular focus on smaller and grassroots organisations, often most closely connected to underrepresented communities. By embedding the Public Health team’s support model, the programme ensured maximum accessibility from the outset.
Public Health Practitioner’s played an active role throughout the process, engaging with organisations at the application stage, visiting groups, offering tailored guidance, and linking them with wider partners such as Thriving Nottingham (the local integrated health & wellbeing offer), screening services, and other Community Champions. This wrap‑around approach meant organisations were never working in isolation, thus
enhancing the visibility of the Public Health team within communities was essential because it built trust, strengthened relationships, and made residents more likely to engage with health and wellbeing initiatives. When people saw and recognised the team—through visits, conversations, and a consistent presence—they were more confident asking questions and sharing their lived experiences. This visibility also helped challenge misconceptions, reduces barriers to accessing services, and ensured that communities and organisations viewed public health not as a distant system but as a supportive, approachable partner.
To reduce barriers, the application form was intentionally simplified, enabling groups to describe their project, intended outcomes, and budget without requiring technical expertise. Monthly panel meetings, with representation from across the service portfolios, ensured a fair, timely, and transparent decision‑making process.
Once approved, payments were processed promptly, allowing organisations to begin delivery quickly and respond to emerging needs without unnecessary delays. This combination of accessible processes, relational support, and timely funding created a supportive environment where community organisations could confidently design and deliver meaningful health and wellbeing activities.
Programme impact and case studies
Over two years, the small grants programme has approved almost 100 grants totalling over £85,000. Its impact spans health outcomes, social connection, organisational development, and increased access to services.
Case study 1: Signpost to Polish Success (SPPS)
In May 2024, Public Health Practitioner Maria met with Signpost to Polish Success after weeks of careful emails to build trust and find a time and place that suited them. What was meant to be a brief 30-minute introduction stretched into a 90-minute conversation, as the organisation opened up about the challenges their community faced. This included difficulty accessing health services, growing social isolation, and struggles with funding.
As they talked, Maria learned that SPPS wanted stronger links with health and wellbeing services but were cautious about approaching unfamiliar systems. They were especially keen to begin a weekly coffee morning to help their community connect and feel less isolated.
Maria stayed in regular contact, encouraging them to apply for the Small Grants Programme and helping them map and build the health connections they needed. SPPS subsequently established fortnightly coffee mornings for Polish migrants over 50, with monthly visits from health providers offering activities and advice.
Maria supported SPPS to collect session feedback and complete monitoring forms. Twenty‑eight individuals attended, with 90 per cent participating weekly. Local health providers were able to engage with a previously “hard to reach” group. The sessions fostered strong relationships, a sense of belonging, and safe conversations about health, with SPPS noting they had begun collaborating with organisations working in the health sector.
Since taking part in the Small Grants Programme, the relationship between Signpost to Polish Success, Nottingham City Public Health, and wider health and wellbeing providers has strengthened. Maria’s ability to forge a trusting relationship, based on mutual respect, has helped to break down barriers. Ideas are growing from the initial coffee morning sessions, and future plans include joining the Community Champions Programme.
Case study 2: Bulwell Forest Gardens
Public Health Practitioner Rilwan connected with Bulwell Forest Garden through the asset mapping of the locality. Bulwell Forest Gardens applied for funding to set up a project called ‘Inclusive Gardening and Cooking’ to bring their community together and teach residents sustainable methods of growing and cooking healthy meals. The Public Health Practitioner advised on broader inclusive services that could be a part of their offer to the participants while holding their hands through the application process for the Small Grants. Support from the Public Health Practitioner helped the volunteer led organisation build confidence and skills in applying for funding and engaging with the Public Health team more effectively. A symbiotic relationship was built whereby Bulwell Forest Gardens became a participating organisation in Nottingham City’s Eating and Moving for Good Health strategy and received support from the Public Health Practitioner even beyond the project’s timeline.
Through this continuous engagement, the organisation developed a stronger awareness of the services that are locally available and how they can be accessed. Through the Small Grants, Bulwell Forest Garden delivered 160 community meals, supported 20 gardening participants, and engaged residents in gardening, Nordic walking, Pilates, and Health MOTs. The project used community gardens as a key local asset to address food insecurity, social isolation, and mental health needs. It strongly aligned with Nottingham City’s health and wellbeing priorities, and contributed to improvements in mental wellbeing, physical activity, and social connection in one of England’s most deprived neighbourhoods.
Key impacts recorded during and after the project which lasted between January and April 2025 included: increased volunteering, stronger community connections, improved engagement with public health services, and greater awareness of personal health. Participants and the organisation described the Inclusive Gardening and Cooking project as a “lifeline” that reduced social isolation, built friendships, and supported healthier routines.
Case study 3: Healthy eating for bipolar disorder
Public Health Practitioner Andrew worked closely with Bipolar Lift to co‑develop a focused nutrition project supporting people living with bipolar disorder. They identified nutrition as a key health inequality affecting members, particularly its impact on medication and mental health stability. Recognising their lived experience and existing strengths, Andrew& ensured the project design was rooted in Bipolar Lift’s values.
Andrew provided guidance throughout the grant application development, supporting the organisation to clarify the nutritional advice offered and confirm the provider was qualified to assist people with bipolar disorder, and advising Bipolar Lift to specify the number, duration, and structure of sessions, clarifying the proposal. He encouraged refining the budget by re-balancing spending—shifting funds towards learning resource for participants and direct delivery. Finally, he helped them articulate the complex needs within their membership, including severe multiple disadvantage, strengthening the project’s alignment with public health priorities.
Once funded, the project ran September-November 2024 and engaged 82 participants. Members reported gaining practical, accessible knowledge about managing nutrition alongside mental health. The nutritionist tailored guidance for those managing bipolar disorder, and the supportive group environment encouraged open discussion. Participants valued the take home materials, which helped reinforce learning and build confidence.
Through this project, Andrew helped Bipolar Lift pilot a novel area of work, integrating specialist nutrition support within their mental‑health offer. This deepened longer term partnership working, helping them amplify member voices and take an asset‑based approach to tackling health inequalities. Andrew supported them joining Public Health’s Community Champions network, ensuring their representation at a strategic level, involving them in a range of public health projects, consultations, and engagement activities, and helping them build new partnerships including with local universities.
The above highlights how small scale investment, professional support and community‑led insight can strengthen organisational capacity, deepen trust, and create lasting collaboration beyond the life of a single project.
Case Study 4: St Jude’s Church and Community Centre
Public Health Practitioner Lauren built a lasting connection with St Jude’s Church and Community Centre, which created an opportunity for her to promote the public health Small Grants Programme and encourage the organisation to apply. Following their conversations and the support Lauren provided, the organisation submitted an application and was successful in securing funding.
The funding enabled St Jude’s to deliver a 12‑week programme of taster sessions embedded within their existing Wellbeing Drop‑In. The Wellbeing Drop‑In met three key public health priorities: eating and moving for good health, financial wellbeing, and mental health.
The Small Grants funding contributed to heating costs during the programme, supported the introduction of an additional monthly coffee morning, expanded resources for activities, enabled the provision of a free brunch, and facilitated the launch of a gardening project.
A total of 40 individuals attended the Wellbeing Drop‑In, helping to improve social connection within the community. The gardening initiative became an especially valued part of the project. Participants built three raised beds for flowers and vegetables, explored the wellbeing benefits of gardening, and each received three plants to encourage continued activity at home. Craft sessions were also introduced, giving people the chance to take part in new creative activities. In addition, organisers at St Jude’s accessed the Thriving Nottingham: Let’s Talk Health training, which further strengthened their ability to support the community. The training covered key topics including motivation, barriers to change, active listening, communication behaviours to avoid, and effective signposting.
By identifying an opportunity and guiding the organisation through the grants process, Lauren helped St Jude’s enhance its wellbeing offer, increase community engagement, and build local capacity. The combination of expanded activities and staff development contributed to a more resilient and empowered community setting.
Participant reflections
“I came two weeks ago because I wanted to get PIP. You helped me phone for an appointment. I’ve come back to do the crafts and gardening.”
“I enjoy being with the other people because I live on my own. I like knitting the squares because I can take some wool home.”
“My mum has acute heart failure, and this group has been a godsend for her. It’s easy to park and accessible for Mum in her wheelchair.”
“I can sit wherever I like, and someone will always talk to me. Watching the gardeners is good.”
Learning and programme development
Learning from the first two years of delivery has reinforced the importance of the programme’s relationship‑based, asset‑driven model, which was intentionally designed in response to insights from the Community Vaccine Champions (CVC) programme and feedback from Health & Wellbeing Community Champions. The local evaluation evidence emphasised the value of “trusted voices” and “leveraging community organisations’ expertise,” reinforcing the need for a model centred on trust, dialogue, and culturally relevant support.
The experience of delivering the small grants programme has demonstrated that micro‑grants are most effective when paired with hands‑on practitioner support, as originally embedded in the Healthy Communities approach. Public Health Practitioners’ active involvement from application through to delivery and beyond has proven essential in reducing barriers, improving evaluation, and strengthening organisations’ capacity. This connection focused model has helped ensure that groups were never working in isolation and felt confident navigating processes that might otherwise exclude smaller organisations.
As delivery has progressed, the programme has continued to evolve to meet community needs. Learning has driven improvements such as clearer communication pathways, pre‑panel quality checks, and practitioner attendance at panels, helping ensure that the programme remains proportionate and accessible. These insights have directly informed the development of a new Community Grants Programme, ensuring that the strengthened model is embedded in future funding approaches.
Reflections and next steps
The small grants programme has demonstrated that small, well‑supported investments can deliver significant and measurable outcomes, improving health literacy, strengthening social connection, and increasing access to health and wellbeing services. The programme’s success is deeply rooted in the asset‑based, community‑led approach which emphasises trusted relationships, culturally relevant design, and accessible processes
The strong involvement of Public Health Practitioners has helped build confidence and capability among grassroots organisations, many of whom were previously unable to access funding. This has contributed to a more connected, responsive local health ecosystem and has supported the development of skills that position groups to access larger grants in the future.
Challenges remain, particularly around the intensive time and resource required to build and maintain relationships with smaller organisations, and the need to support groups with administrative processes. However, these challenges underline—not undermine—the value of relationship based support, reinforcing that meaningful community engagement requires sustained investment.
With continued high demand and resources committed to meet this, the programme is expected to remain central to Nottingham’s public health strategy. Looking ahead, the programme will continue to prioritise flexibility, relationship‑based support, and the empowerment of community partners to shape and lead solutions to emerging health priorities.
Contact
Tom Ali, Public Health Manager, Nottingham City Council:
email: [email protected]