Community Activate Fund
A London Community Activate Fund from One Voice Network and the London HIV Prevention Programme.
About the fund
Skin Like Mine’s Community Activate Fund, delivered through One Voice Network (OVN) as part of the London HIV Prevention Programme (LHPP), is a community activation fund supporting Black-led and Black-community-rooted organisations, groups and grassroots initiatives to design and deliver locally focused activities across London.
We are looking for community-led approaches that create opportunities for broader conversations about health, wellbeing, and sexual health, integrating HIV prevention, awareness, testing and access to prevention services.
We know that some of the strongest ideas come directly from communities. Grassroots groups often have the relationships, local knowledge, lived experience and trust needed to reach people who may not routinely engage with traditional health services. Your organisations are creative and have developed programmes or initiatives because you’ve noticed a gap in community needs and filled them. We want to work with you to widen the conversation around health and wellbeing for Black communities and normalise HIV prevention as part of everyday health.
The Community Activate Fund is about investing in those relationships and ideas, enabling communities to develop approaches that work for the people they know and serve.
Applicants do not need to be a registered charity, Community Interest Company (CIC), or formally constituted organisation to be eligible to apply.
Size of Grant
We will award 10 grants of up to £3,000 to support activities delivered during the grant period.
What we are looking for?
Through the Community Activate Fund, we want to support grassroots organisations and community groups to develop and deliver activities that respond to the needs, experiences and strengths of their communities.
Activities do not need to focus solely on HIV. We welcome broader approaches that address health, wellbeing and sexual health.
You do not need to have worked in HIV or sexual health before to apply.
We particularly want to hear from grassroots organisations that already have strong relationships with Black Heritage Communities, even if your work currently focuses on areas such as mental health, sport, culture, young people, families, faith, wellbeing, arts, community development or other local issues.
You bring the community relationships, trust, knowledge and ideas and One Voice Network can provide the HIV prevention knowledge, guidance and support to help you incorporate HIV into your activity in a way that feels relevant and appropriate for your community.
We welcome organisations that want to try something new, broaden their existing work and explore creative ways of bringing HIV prevention into wider conversations about health and wellbeing.
This may include groups working with:
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Black African heritage communities
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Black Caribbean heritage communities
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Black LGBTQ+ people and communities
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Migrant communities
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Faith communities
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Grassroots and peer-led networks
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Community associations
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Other communities within London's diverse Black Heritage Communities
We want to support ideas that can activate:
Conversations: Get communities talking openly and confidently about HIV, testing and prevention.
Awareness: Increase knowledge and understanding of HIV, PrEP, testing and available prevention services in London. To know their HIV status and the free treatment options available to them through the NHS.
Testing: Encourage more people to make HIV and sexual health testing a regular part of their overall health and wellbeing routine.
Communities: Create exciting and culturally innovative activities designed by and for your communities.
Connections: Build stronger links between Black Heritage Communities and local HIV, sexual health and prevention services.
Change: Challenge HIV-related stigma and help create environments where people feel confident accessing information, testing, prevention, treatment and support.
Who can apply?
The Community Activate Fund welcomes applications from Black-led and/or Black-community-rooted organisations, groups and grassroots initiatives working with Black Heritage Communities across London.
This includes:
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Registered charities
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Community Interest Companies (CICs)
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Constituted community organisations
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Unconstituted community groups
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Grassroots initiatives
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Black-led voluntary and community organisations
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Black LGBTQ+ groups and organisations
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Faith based groups
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Peer-led groups
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Other not-for-profit community initiatives
Applicants should:
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Be based in and/or delivering the proposed activity within one or more of the 32 London boroughs.
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Have strong connections to the Black Heritage community or communities they want to work with.
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Have an annual income of no more than £250,000.
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Be able to demonstrate that their activity will benefit Black Heritage communities.
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Have appropriate arrangements in place to deliver their activity safely and responsibly. This will include having a safeguarding policy and insurances in place for your project/activity.
If you are unsure whether your organisation or group is eligible or if you have any further questions. Please contact us before applying at onevoicenetwork.uk@gmail.com
Ready to Apply?
We will be hosting an online How to Apply session on _October 2026, where you can find out more about the fund, ask questions and get support with your application.
To receive the link to join the session, please email onevoicenetwork,uk@gmail.com with your details
Applications close at 6pm on 16 November 2026.
MORE THAN A GRANT: GROWING TOGETHER
The Skin Like Mine Community Activate is about buildingcommunity capacity as well as funding community activities.
We recognise that smaller and unconstituted groups may need different levels of support. This is why One Voice Network will work alongside all applicants to provide appropriate support, mentoring and capacity building.
This may include support with:
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HIV prevention and PrEP awareness
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Community outreach
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Culturally competent communication
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Safeguarding
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Confidentiality
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Monitoring and evaluation
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Reporting
