Funding opportunities
Lewisham Council is managing the fund.
Read the following guidelines before applying. We offer grants to help fund eco-friendly, reuse and or repair projects in the borough to:
- sole traders
- creatives
- small to medium businesses
We are looking for businesses who want to help make the borough greener, cleaner, more resourceful and efficient. Applications that clearly explain how a grant will help your company to waste less, cut back on using fossil fuels and or take other positive environmental actions are more likely to be successful.
Upcoming information session
We will be hosting an information evening and launch event for the grants at The Albany from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Thursday 12 December.
At the event you can chat to council staff, ask questions and meet other local businesses who are creating circular economy projects. Register for free.
Email our friendly climate team at climate@lewisham.gov.uk if you have any questions.
Available funding
There will be ten grants of up to £1,000 each.
Why we are offering grants
Climate change will affect us all in Lewisham, whether through supply chain challenges, hotter summers, flooding or increased energy bills.
But there are many brilliant ways we can help reduce these risks, such as reducing how much fuel or packaging we use. The transition to a 'circular economy' will provide new opportunities whilst helping to protect our local and global communities from the effects of climate change.
We welcome ideas that can help you to cut down on your energy usage, the amount of waste you create, or that enable your customers to shop locally with less plastic packaging. This also helps us save money.
What is the circular economy?
To improve our environment locally and globally, we must change how we create, consume, use, and dispose of things. This means considering the full life cycle of anything we sell or make. It could be re-using what we already have, buying second-hand, reducing waste, and recycling more.
It also means more sharing, repairing and selling things that can be used over and over again, recycled easily into other things, or go back into the earth as compost.
Examples of circular economy businesses
Who can apply
Individuals or teams on behalf of businesses who:
- are based in the borough of Lewisham
- own 100% of the business or are majority shareholders
- have an organisational bank account or be in the process of setting up a business bank account
We also accept applications from social enterprises, CICs, co-operatives and charities.
What we will fund
Funding is available to support a broad range of business costs, providing that you can demonstrate how the expenditure will support the growth of your business. For example, grants could be given for:
- equipment that will help a business achieve lower energy usage
- equipment that will help a business use less single-use plastic or create less waste
- materials/stock for a new low or zero waste product line
- product development
- community building and partnerships with local groups
- prototypes
- website/booking system build
- training in repair or retrofitting services
- campaigns to help change customer behaviour
What we won't fund
- debt repayment
- app development costs
- rent and utilities
- stock for an existing product line
- ongoing software subscriptions
- new computers, phones, tablets
We will consider applications for refurbished technology. Successful applicants will need to explain why the laptop, tablet or phone will transform their business. A link to the refurbished item will also be required, with an explanation of why they need this piece of specific technology.
Applying
To apply for a business grant complete the application form.
Supporting documents
You must complete the form, giving detailed answers and send relevant supporting documents by email to climate@lewisham.gov.uk. All documents must be submitted by the application deadline and your application may not be considered if supporting documents are missing.
Make sure you have the following documents:
- a balance sheet or your latest accounts
- a signed copy of our terms and conditions with completed bank details
We will only use your bank details if your application is successful.
Grant timeline
| Monday 2 December 2024 to Sunday 16 February 2025 | Grant applications open | You can submit your application for the award from early December, and submissions will be open for 10 weeks. |
| Thursday 12 December | Launch event | Sign up for a free ticket to network, hear more about the circular economy and how a grant could help you. |
| Monday 17 February to Friday 28 February 2025 | Initial assessment | We will check your application is complete and eligible. We aim to make a decision on your application within four weeks. |
| No later than Monday 31 March 2025 | Grants awarded | The grant will be paid directly to you by BACS. We can only pay grants into a business bank account that matches the business name in your application, so if you don’t have a business bank account yet you will be asked to set one up. You will receive payment of the grant as long as your bank and terms and conditions form has been completed, no later than the 31st March 2025. There is an expectation that the grant should be spent within three months of receipt. |
| July 2025 | Post award case studies | After the award - we will contact you three to six months after you receive the grant to find out how your project is progressing. This will include a visit from a photographer or our social media team. |
Monitoring and evaluation
You will need to keep and provide the following:
- financial records of how the grant is spent, including receipts and invoices
- evidence of how the grant has supported your company’s growth, for example system changes, introduction of new product lines, sales figures etc
It is important to gather information throughout the duration of your activities. These pieces of information must be communicated verbally during a case study visit from the council. We anticipate this will be in July or September2025.
It will consist of us taking video footage and photographs of you, your premises and your project. This will go out on our social media channels, Lewisham Life magazine, and potentially out to other funders.