Small charities, CICs and community groups are doing the work that prevents ill health — we’re just not funding them enough.
When we talk about preventing ill health and reducing inequalities, the focus is often on large systems and services. Yet some of the most transformative work is happening quietly, every day, within local communities.
Funding Differently is a unique grants programme coordinated by Community Southwark in partnership with Partnership Southwark, United St Saviour’s Charity, Peter Minet Trust and the local voluntary and community sector (VCS). It shows just how powerful small, locally led organisations can be.
At Healthwatch Southwark, we regularly hear from residents about the barriers they face in accessing health and care - whether due to trust, cultural understanding, or awareness of services. As we transition into Community Southwark as part of the new Community Health Team, this connection between community-led support and health outcomes is becoming even more central to our work.
What we have learned from the programme, and the remarkable difference these organisations are making, has highlighted several important findings:
Reaching people earlier
Locally led groups are deeply embedded in their communities. They are trusted, culturally aware, and often the first place people turn to for support.
This makes them essential for preventative health. Whether it’s a wellbeing art session, peer support group, or culturally specific advice, these organisations help people stay well — reducing the need for crisis services later on.
Over the past three years, Funding Differently has supported over 10,000 residents through small, locally led activities shaped around real community needs.
This reflects what Healthwatch Southwark sees through its engagement - that people are more likely to seek support when it is accessible, culturally relevant, and rooted in their community.
Tackling inequalities at the root
Health inequalities are shaped by access and trust — and smaller organisations are often best placed to bridge these gaps.
Through this programme, funding is reaching those most affected — with 82% of funded groups being ethnic minority‑led. Decision-making is led by the sector itself, and barriers to accessing funding are reduced. This helps ensure support reaches the right people in ways that genuinely work for them.
Healthwatch Southwark’s work has consistently highlighted the importance of reaching under‑represented communities and ensuring their experiences shape services. Programmes like Funding Differently show what this looks like in practice.
Keeping it simple
How funding is delivered matters. Funding Differently keeps things simple, offering flexible, unrestricted funding, alongside short applications, support to apply, and light-touch monitoring. This frees organisations up to focus on what they do best — supporting their communities.
For Healthwatch Southwark, this matters because community organisations play a vital role in connecting residents to support and services.
More than funding
This programme is about more than grants. It builds skills, confidence and relationships through peer decision-making, shared learning, and ongoing support.
The result is a stronger, more connected local sector — and better long-term outcomes for community health.
As Healthwatch Southwark becomes part of Community Southwark’s Community Health Team, strengthening these relationships between communities, the VCS, and health and care systems will remain a key priority.
A different way forward
If we are serious about prevention and reducing inequalities, we need to rethink where and how we invest.
The lesson from Funding Differently is clear: smaller, community-led organisations are not a ‘nice to have’; they are a core part of the solution.
By trusting communities, simplifying funding, and sharing decision-making power, we can build a system that keeps people healthier for longer, and closes the gap in who gets to live well.
At Healthwatch Southwark, this reinforces what we hear every day - that improving health outcomes depends on listening to communities and working in partnership with the organisations they trust.
Find out more
Read about our recent monitoring visits and the inspiring work happening across Southwark here: https://communitysouthwark.org/funding-differently-what-we-learnt-from-our-monitoring-visits/
If you have any questions, comments, or would like to find out more about Funding Differently, please contact: katherine@communitysouthwark.org
Shared by Healthwatch Southwark as part of our next chapter.
This is the kind of work we’re proud to continue supporting as we move into our next chapter.
