Supporting the community

Community organisations play an important role in helping people recognise cancer symptoms earlier, access screening and healthcare services, and live well during and after cancer treatment.

Through our community cancer intervention funding, we support community-led projects that improve cancer outcomes and help reduce health inequalities across Kent and Medway.

Funding is available through two programmes:

  • early diagnosis of cancer community intervention funding
  • living with and beyond cancer community intervention funding.

These programmes support local organisations to deliver targeted activities that reach communities who may face barriers to accessing cancer information, services and support.

What we are looking for

We are seeking applications from organisations that:

  • have strong links with local communities
  • can deliver projects that reach people who experience barriers to accessing cancer information, screening or support
  • can demonstrate impact and outcomes from their work
  • work in partnership with other organisations where appropriate.

We are particularly keen to support innovative, targeted projects for adults aged 18+ that deliver deep-dive engagement with specific underserved communities, using tailored approaches to address barriers to early cancer diagnosis and support for people living with and beyond cancer.

Apply today

  1. Living with and beyond cancer community intervention funding
  2. Early diagnosis of cancer community intervention funding

Eligibility criteria

To apply for community cancer intervention funding, organisations must meet the following criteria:

  • Organisations should be established for a minimum of five years and be able to demonstrate a track record of delivering community-based work and engaging with local populations. 
  • Applicants should ideally have an annual turnover of around £50,000 or above, or be able to demonstrate equivalent organisational capacity and financial controls appropriate to managing grant funding.
  • Previous partnership working with statutory, voluntary, or community sector organisations is desirable and should be evidenced where possible, particularly where this has supported delivery of health, wellbeing, or community engagement outcomes.

Partnership applications are encouraged.

Further information

Successful proposals will also need to meet the following:

  • will work in areas of significant deprivation within Kent and Medway, particularly index of multiple deprivation (IMD) areas of one to three
  • following successful delivery of the project, will produce a detailed evaluation report that can be shared across the local system.

Applications will also meet one or more of the following conditions:

  • partnership work with a primary care network (PCN) and/or local GP practice to develop a project which reduces barriers communities face when it comes to accessing healthcare and cancer services
  • faith-based organisations exploring ways to improve early diagnosis rates for cancer
  • use of creative and innovative ideas that help raise awareness of early diagnosis and to gain an understanding of barriers and ways to overcome these.

Applications for the following cannot be supported:

  • funding to support recruitment or extend current contracts of employment
  • capital funding for premises or equipment including digital hardware (laptops etc) and software (subscriptions or licences etc).

Successful applicants will be required to share their governing documents, e.g. charity number, end of year accounts and recent bank statements. Successful applicants may also be required to share insurance and safeguarding policies. 

Contact

If you would like to discuss a project idea before applying, please contact:

Early diagnosis funding - Joanne.Bailey26@nhs.net   

Living with and beyond cancer - Claire.Mallett3@nhs.net