The Smiles Fund is the result of a partnership between Comic Relief and Walkers to improve wellbeing and tackle disadvantage in the UK.
Registered charities and constituted not-for-profit groups with an annual income of £75,000 to £10 million can apply for grants of between £100,000 and £300,000. It is expected that between 8 and 12 grants will be awarded.
The funding is intended to support early intervention and community-based approaches which use participation in the arts and comedy to:
- Promote positive outcomes for mental wellbeing.
- Promote positive social connections.
- Help to build resilience to tackle life's everyday challenges.
Projects should use participation in the arts and comedy (not just watching or visiting) to challenge stigma and provide community-based support for people who are experiencing emerging symptoms of poor mental health at an early stage.
Funding is for work with adults over 18 years old only.
Priority will be given to projects working with people facing:
- Discrimination and disadvantage.
- Prolonged uncertainty and unemployment.
- Emerging mental wellbeing challenges.
- Loss and isolation
How To Apply
The deadline for applications is 15 September 2021 (11am).
The following Zoom Q&A sessions are available to answer questions about the fund:
- 11 August 2021 (11am-12pm).
- 19 August 2021 (10am-11am).
- 25 August 2021 (2.30pm-3.30pm).
Links to register can be found on the Comic Relief website, along with full guidelines and an online application form.
Useful documents & links
Useful Links
Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this grant locally, please contact the following:
- Grants Team
Comic Relief
5th Floor
89 Albert Embankment
London
SE1 7TP
Email: [email protected]