The Small Grants Programme has been running successfully for several years, supporting voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations to take trusted cancer awareness messages into their communities. The new events category builds on that work and is designed to make it easier for smaller and grassroots organisations to get involved.

Rather than asking organisations to create a separate cancer project, the category will support them to include cancer awareness activity within events and community activities they are already planning. This could include community fairs, cultural celebrations, sports activities, faith events, local festivals, health and wellbeing events, drop ins, workshops and other community gatherings.

The approach reflects what the Cancer Alliance has learned through the wider grants programme. Local organisations often have strong relationships with the people they support and understand the best ways to start conversations that feel relevant, accessible and appropriate. They can also reach people who may be less likely to engage with traditional NHS communications or health campaigns.

The aim of the events category is the same as the wider Small Grants Programme. It is about helping more people recognise possible signs and symptoms of cancer, encouraging people to seek help promptly if they notice a symptom or something in their body does not feel right, promoting participation in cancer screening programmes and supporting awareness and uptake of HPV vaccination.

The funding is open to VCFSE organisations across Lancashire and South Cumbria, with a particular focus on organisations that have strong local connections and work with communities experiencing health inequalities or groups who may not routinely engage with NHS services.

Organisations do not need to be cancer specialists to apply. The Cancer Alliance is particularly keen to hear from groups that already have trusted relationships in their communities and can see an opportunity to introduce simple cancer awareness messages into an event or activity that people are already attending.

Support through the events category will be provided in two parts. Organisations can apply for a cash grant of up to £500 towards the additional costs of incorporating cancer awareness activity into an event. This could include a contribution towards venue hire, refreshments, promotion, logistics, an additional room or extra staff needed to support the cancer awareness element. The funding must be used specifically to support the addition of cancer awareness activity rather than general overheads for an existing event.

The Cancer Alliance will also provide approved resources and campaign materials worth up to £500. These could include posters, leaflets, symptom cards and merchandise, helping organisations share clear and evidence based information in a way that complements their own activity and branding.

The focus is not on creating separate NHS branded events. Instead, it is about giving community organisations the tools and support to weave cancer awareness into the trusted spaces, activities and conversations they already create.

Applications will be managed through an expression of interest process by Spring North on behalf of the Cancer Alliance. Organisations will be asked to explain the activity they are planning, the communities they hope to reach and how cancer awareness messages will be incorporated.

The next round of the wider VCFSE Small Grants Programme will open for expressions of interest in September 2026 and close on 31 October 2026 for projects being delivered in 2027. The events category will open from September 2026 and will remain available on an ongoing basis until 31 December 2027 for events taking place within that period.

For Spring North members considering applying, the key message is that you do not need to be a cancer organisation to make a difference. By adding simple, trusted and evidence based cancer awareness messages to activities you are already delivering, you could help someone recognise a symptom sooner, attend screening or seek help earlier. Every organisation can play a part in helping to improve cancer early diagnosis across Lancashire and South Cumbria.

Please keep your eye on Spring North’s socials in September for details on how to express interest in the next VCFSE Small Grants Programme.