Funding

Latest funding news, opportunities, resources and the William Kendall Small Awards Programme exclusively for Bexley groups.  

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CURRENT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES via BVSC

Women & Girls Health Hub – Microgrants Fund (£12k total pot)

Volunteer Centre Bexley is pleased to open applications for microgrants to support community activities that improve health and wellbeing outcomes for women and girls across Bexley.

About the Fund

We have a total of £12,000 to distribute to local VCSE organisations. Grants of £500 – £2,000 are available to support projects that contribute to the Women & Girls Health Hub pilot, with a focus on outreach, education, direct service delivery, and community engagement.

Who Can Apply?

  • Local charities, CICs, voluntary and community groups based in Bexley or those who provide a service that directly benefits Bexley residents.
  • Groups must have a bank account in the organisation’s name.
  • Partnerships and collaborations are encouraged.
  • Faith-based groups may apply, provided activities are inclusive and non-proselytising.

What We’re Looking to Fund

Projects that:

  • Raise awareness and empower women and girls about their health and wellbeing.
  • Provide accessible, inclusive services for women and girls aged 14–55.
  • Address barriers to accessing healthcare, tackle inequalities, and reduce stigma.
  • Strengthen integrated care approaches, e.g. outreach or co-located services.
  • Target communities most at risk of poor health outcomes (low income, ethnic minorities, disabled women, young mothers, digitally excluded groups).

What We Can’t Fund

  • Activities outside Bexley.
  • Projects not linked to women’s and girls’ health/wellbeing.
  • Retrospective costs or large overheads.
  • Political or religious promotion.

Timeline

  • Applications Open: November 2025
  • Closing Date: 12pm on 7th January 2026
  • Decisions Announced: by 30th January 2026 (with feedback given to unsuccessful applicants)
  • Project Delivery:  Feb 2026 – May 2026
  • Monitoring and Reporting Collection: by 31st May 2026

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via our online Microsoft Form. The application is short and simple. Support is available if you need help completing it — please contact Asia Bile asia@bvsc.co.uk.

Apply here: Women & Girls Health Microgrant Application – Fill in form

Associated Downloads:
- Budget Template
- Women & Girls Health Microgrants Criteria


WILLIAM KENDALL SMALL AWARDS PROGRAMME FOR BEXLEY

The Autumn-Winter 2025 round of the William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley from the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers is NOW CLOSED. The deadline for applications to be received by BVSC for the Autumn-Winter 2025 round was 09.00 Monday 29th September 2025. There are two rounds per year, the next will open in February 2026.

Please read the application guidance carefully and ensure that you complete the eligibility quiz to be sure that you are eligible to apply. If you have any questions or would like to discuss ideas, share drafts for feedback or get support with your application between now and the application deadline please contact: 

Jamie Kesten (Funding and Development Manager, BVSC) jamie@bvsc.co.uk 01322524682


Aims

The William Kendall Charity of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers aims to fund charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of the London Borough of Bexley, and the relief of need, hardship or distress.

How much can you apply for?

The maximum award is £5,000.  Awards are not made for less than £500 and must be used within 12 months of receipt of the award offer letter.
 

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to apply, organisations MUST:

  • Be based in the London Borough of Bexley and/or benefit Bexley residents.
  • Be formally constituted and not–for–profit with a charity and/or limited company reference number.
  • Be small enough for the funding to make a real difference, i.e. those with less than £200k in cash at bank in the accounts for the last financial year (Cash at bank refers to the total amount of money held at the bank by a person or company, either in current or deposit accounts. It is included in the balance sheet under current assets).
  • Follow applicable Charity Law and Charity Commission guidelines, for example but not limited to, having a management committee of at least three people with two independent cheque signatories (and online banking authorisers); and an appropriate governing document which confirms the organisation is operating on a not-for-profit basis with appropriate governancepolicies and procedures which includes, amongst other things, a dissolution clause, which outlines what happens to any assets should your organisation cease to operate.
  • Have submitted all the necessary end of award completion forms for any previous awards from the William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley.
     

The William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley will NOT fund organisations who:

  • Do not have their own charity number or limited company registration number
  • Are statutory or public bodies
  • Exist solely to make a profit, with no community benefit
  • Have cash and investments sufficient to comfortably fund the project themselves (i.e. those with £200,000 or more in cash at bank in the accounts for the last financial year)
  • Give voice to specific interest, campaign or pressure groups or who promote a political agenda, whether party-political or local


WHAT WILL/WON'T BE FUNDED

The William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley will ONLY fund projects which:

  • Help to deliver a specific new, improved or extended charitable benefit to the community
  • Are well costed, good value for money and deliver an outcome costing between £500 - £5,000 in total.
     

The William Kendall Small Awards Programme for Bexley will NOT fund:

  • Ongoing revenue items like rent, rates, or energy costs — unless for a start-up or to support a registered charity through a one-year gap in funding where there is an identified prospect of ongoing funding
  • Over-priced projects that do not deliver good value for money
  • Internally focused projects to upgrade facilities for the benefit of staff only
  • Teachers’ salaries in a school that should be funded by government
  • Applications that do not fit with these guidelines.

HOW TO APPLY
Please read the full application guidance and complete the online application form (which includes a short eligibility quiz) in order to apply.


If you have any problems applying or require any further information, please contact:

  • Jamie Kesten, Funding and Development Manager (jamie@bvsc.co.uk, 01322 524682 Option 4)