Enable communities to deliver change on the ground

We are committed, through the North London Community Fund, to financially support organisations tackling waste issues and working with residents at the community level. The fund provides community-based, non-profit making organisations with support to develop new approaches to reduce waste or extend the reach and impact of existing waste prevention activity in the NLWA area.

The amount available is £250,000, and selected organisations will be awarded up to £15,000 through the small and medium awards, or £100,000 through the large awards to deliver their projects. The application process is designed to be as accessible and straightforward as possible, and we welcome queries from prospective applicants. Evaluation of applications is carried against criteria provided in the funding guidance documentation, and the process is undertaken by NLWA officers with input from officers in the constituent boroughs. Previously funded projects have been delivered by a variety of excellent grassroots organisations and have provided creative and innovative opportunities for residents to tackle waste relating to textiles, food, furniture, and electricals, amongst other issues. We recognise there is a wealth of initiatives happening in north London that may not have waste prevention as their main aim, but which achieve that through either the practical action they deliver or the information and upskilling it provides to their participants, and we are keen to hear from such organisations.

Through the fund, we will support organisations with promotion of their work and monitor their approaches with a view to understanding the potential for scaling up or rolling out successful initiatives to other areas or over longer periods of time. We will also support networking for those who want to learn from and replicate the approaches being delivered. The fund will enable closer working links for NLWA with north London communities creating an effective route for stakeholders to work with us. This is a growing area of activity, and we will review annually our approach and committed funding amount to ensure we continue to invest in north London based waste prevention initiatives.