Public Health Accelerator Bids (PHAB)

Funding for new projects that deliver services to help everyone in Essex to live a healthy life and achieve their full potential

Apply for a major grant

Major grants can be over £15,000 with no upper limit.

Funding can be for a maximum of two years. Projects need to show:

  • a level of sustainability
  • an evaluation process reflective of the level of funding requested
  • a clear exit plan

These grants are not available in Southend or Thurrock.

How to express your interest

Applications are made in a two-stage process, with initial expressions of interest followed by a formal application process.

View the assessment criteria for initial expressions of interest (PDF, 103.19 KB).

View the assessment criteria for formal applications (PF, 110.65 KB).

Applications must be submitted before the start of any project activities or project expenditure. We cannot fund any project expenditure retrospectively. Any expenditure incurred on the project before receipt of a grant offer letter is at the risk of the lead applicant organisation.

We can accept more than one application from an organisation. Each application must represent a different project.

We will not consider applications for projects which we have previously rejected.

There are three opportunities to make an expression of interest. Applications outside of these dates will not be considered.

Round one is now closed.

Round two is now closed.

Round three opens Monday 8 April 2024, with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 3 May 2024.

Unfortunately it is not possible to save your form and come back to it. We suggest saving your answers on a separate expressions of interest document (DOC, 69.13 KB) and copying it into the online application form.

Submit an expression of interest

What happens next

After you've submitted an Expression of Interest, you will receive a confirmation email.

You'll receive a decision via email within two weeks of the expressions of interest closing.

We'll invite successful organisations to formally apply for funding using the major grants application form.

When to make a formal application

There are currently three opportunities to make the formal application.

Round one opens Monday 4 September 2023 with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 27 October 2023.

Round two opens Monday 8 January 2024 with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 1 March 2024.

Round three opens Monday 10 June 2024 with a deadline of 5pm on Friday 2 August 2024.

If you submit a formal application, you'll receive a confirmation email containing a bid number.

You must use this number in all future communications with the PHAB team.

Grant application decision panels meet three times a year. Applicants will be notified about the panel’s decision as soon as possible.