New £7.5m grant programme to support residents’ health

A cross generation group of people gathered together, some sitting and some standing, for a photograph

We have announced a new £7.5 million grant programme. The Public Health Accelerator Bids (PHAB) programme will launch later this year. It will support projects designed to improve residents’ health and tackle health inequalities.  

PHAB will offer organisations funding across two grant funding streams, these are:

  • small grants under £15,000  
  • major grants over £15,000  

Grants are available to voluntary organisations, charities, schools, councils and more.  

The programme will fund projects supporting the aims of the new Essex Wellbeing, Public Health and Communities Plan.

Lucy Wightman, Director of Wellbeing, Public Health and Communities at Essex County Council, said:

The programme will focus on supporting the communities in Essex with the worst health outcomes and supports our commitment to reducing health inequalities across the county and improving residents’ health.  

We are looking for applicants that have the expertise to deliver innovative public health projects and we are excited to see the impact the successful bids will make to the lives of people in Essex. 

Applications for the small grants and first round of the major grant will open on Monday 4 September. Groups can submit an expression of interest in the major grants from Tuesday 1 August. More information will be available at a new dedicated website which will launch in the coming weeks. 

There will be more than one round of applications for the major grant funding. In November, organisations will receive the first grants.

Email PHABApplications@activeessex.org if you have questions about the programme. 

Hear more from Councillor John Spence, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and ICS Integration in this short video: