Small Grants Programme

Small Grants Round 7 – Now Open

We are pleased to have launched the latest round of small grants for communities in Lewes District on 24 July 2025.

There are two categories of grant available:

Category A: up to £400 for events to celebrate Good Food East Sussex month in October 2025. (Deadline extended to 12 September)
Category B: up to £1500 for projects tackling food insecurity in Lewes District. (Deadline 16 January)

Grants will be awarded on a rolling basis; early applications are encouraged. Applicants should consider how they will demonstrate the impact and outcomes of their event or project.

Please see an overview of the grants and download the info pack and application forms below.

Information and application forms

Downloads:

Please contact Natalie at: info@lewesdistrictfoodpartnership.org if you have any questions about the grants, your eligibility, or want to have an informal discussion about your idea.

“The youth groups currently have 30 kids a week using Mercread so this grant enabled 30 young people every week being fed and supported. Now we have a fully equipped kitchen we are able to get projects going that fed the whole community.”

Since March 2022 Lewes District Food Partnership have distributed over £50,000 of small grants to organisations and community groups that tackle food poverty.

Food poverty is defined as the inability to afford, or to have access to, food to make up a healthy diet, and 1 in 5 people in Lewes District report worrying about how they will afford enough food.

The impact of food poverty could include being worried about where your next meal will come from, skipping meals, having to choose between heating and eating, or not eating a sufficient and healthy diet, due to a lack of funds or access.

Email info@lewesdistrictfoodpartnership.org to find out about upcoming funding.

Mercread Youth Centre

Examples of what our small grant programme has funded to date

The Havens Community Hub
The redistribution of surplus food via community hub in Denton

Homelink, Lewes
Provision of emergency food grants to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness across Lewes District

Fitzjohns Foodbank
Development of meal kits for food bank clients, with opportunities to try new foods and recipes and to learn new cookery skills

Pippas Group Nursery
Provision of fresh fruit and veg snacks and food education for pre-schoolers in nursery setting

Landport Community Café
Pay-as-you-feel café on Landport Estate, which makes use of surplus food from the foodbank and offers social eating space to community

Landport Community Garden
Redevelopment of Landport Community Garden after period of inactivity – grant will buy tools, plants, compost and polytunnel

Newhaven Baptist Church Foodbank
Provision of emergency food parcels in Newhaven

Kempton House Day Centre
Development of new community garden space at Kempton House Day Centre (which supports older people in the community through lunch club and activities) with raised beds and hot composter to process food waste

Peacehaven Community Centre and Mosque
Provision of ‘Souper Social’ pay-as-you-feel lunch at the Meridian Centre in Peacehaven (with support from the Making It Happen team) – social eating space and opportunity for young people to develop cookery skills through volunteering opportunities

Seahaven Storehouse Foodbank
Purchase of storage trolleys for the foodbank to allow for the development of a café space within the church setting

Mercread Youth Centre
Redevelopment of a community kitchen in the youth centre to provide cookery lessons and opportunities for shared cooking and eating – also developing links with local community gardens

The Peverells Community Garden
Development of a new community garden space in Seaford – purchase of raised beds, plants and other equipment.