Positive activities for young people

Our vision is to support and invest in a thriving and diverse voluntary and community sector (VCS) to enable it to improve outcomes for Tower Hamlets residents.

"The Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) grant helps community and voluntary organisations run fun and engaging activities during school holidays for young people aged 11–19, or up to 25 for those with special educational needs, disabilities, or leaving care.

This contributes towards providing young people in the borough with:

• somewhere safe to go
• something positive to do
• someone to talk with during school holiday periods

This information explains how to apply for PAYP funding and build a great application.

What outcomes do we want to achieve?

The desired outcomes of the Positive Activities for Young People grant funding programme supports the strategic ambitions and outcomes set out in the Strategic Plan 2022-2026.

Here are a range of positive outcomes for young people which the grant funding aims to further support the voluntary and community sector to achieve:

• Alleviating the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and poverty upon young people and their families during school holiday periods through the provision of access to free positive activities and free healthy foods.  

• Promoting the holistic health and wellbeing of young people (e.g. emotional wellbeing, mental health and physical health) through participating in positive activities and experiences.  

• Creating greater safety for young people vulnerable to being impacted by harm outside the home (e.g. exploitation, violence and crime) by concentrating the delivery of positive activities for young people between the hours of 3 to 9pm which is the vicinity in which the most serious incidents and offences occur. 

• Increasing the access to and participation of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups including young people who identify as

• • Black, Asian & Multi Ethnic
  • Girls 
  • Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQIA+)
  • Special educational needs or disabilities
  • Young people looked after and/or leaving care
  • Young Carers

• Support young people’s post-16 destination and transition into further employment, training and education

• Reducing social isolation and improving wellbeing through providing opportunities for young people to meet outside of school and with other young people from different backgrounds as part of enabling community cohesion.  

• Connecting young people with other accessible services for young people based upon their interests and skills (e.g. sports, dancing, drama, digital etc) beyond the school holidays. 

Eligibility

Funding is available to organisations and groups that can show a clear connection to Tower Hamlets with an income of below £150,000. Applicants will also need to meet at least one of the following structures:

• an unregistered voluntary and community group with a constitution 
• a Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) 
• a registered charity, including Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) 
• a registered not-for-profit company (limited by guarantee with no share capital)
• a registered Community Interest Company (CIC)  
• a faith-based group, where the funding is for inclusive activity that is open to all 

Funding is not available to:

• individuals
• sole traders
• profit making companies
• political organisations

How much money is available?

The total budget for the PAYP funding theme is £250,000 per year. For this funding theme you can apply for up to a maximum amount of £6,000.

Your organisation can only receive one grant from this theme per financial year, which runs between 1 April to 31 March. If your application is unsuccessful, you can apply again in the same year in the next funding round.

What can the funding be used for? 

Positive Activities for Young People grant funding can be used for:

• staff wages associated with the planning, delivery and evaluation of positive activities for young people delivered during school holidays
• venue hire to support the delivery of positive activities for young people during school holidays
• equipment and resources to support the delivery of positive activities for young people
• transport to support the delivery of positive activities for young people
• Providing positive activities including on-site and off-site activities (e.g. adventures away from home such as residentials)
• food
• promotion and marketing
• making positive activities accessible and inclusive for young people
• insurance

If you have an idea of something you would like us to fund and you are not sure if it meets the criteria, then please contact the team by emailing vcs@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

What can funding not be used for? 

• General operating costs such as rent, utilities or administrative costs
• Individual salaries of existing staff
• Capital works or major building works
• General charitable appeals
• To pay back debt or cover past expenditure

Timeline 

The bidding period for the grants programme will last for six weeks. All applications submitted by 1 June 2025 will be considered for decision in July 2025. 

When making applications please refer to the timeline for the application deadline, award notification period and project delivery dates. Please apply early and give enough time before your proposed project takes place. This way you know the outcome of your application before your event starts.  

Key dates for round 1 of the 2025/26 financial year

*In the review stage

We are currently reviewing the Mayor’s Small Grants Programme and in consultation with voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations, along with other key stakeholders. This review is part of our commitment to making sure the programme continues to meet the needs of small, not-for-profit groups and organisations.

Following this consultation, we aim to introduce new and improved changes by June 2025. These updates will help ensure our funding remains relevant, accessible and impactful. This will support the vital work of grassroots organisations across our communities. 

Organising events in parks and open spaces

If your project includes organising an event in an open space, you must get permission from the landowner.

Apply for the use of Tower Hamlets’ parks and open spaces and street parties.

Bidding process 

To apply you need to complete an application form and provide us with information about your organisation and what you want to use the funding for.

All bids must be submitted online through the council’s online portal, Blackbaud Grant Making (BBGM).  We cannot accept submissions by email, post or by hand. 

Applications will be made on one form with two sections. The first section is about your organisation and the second section is about the project you’re bidding for.  

Assessment

Organisation assessment

The organisational assessment is to see if your organisation meets the standards the council expects of organisations it supports with public funds. 

You will need to submit the following documents as part of the organisation assessment: 

• a copy of your constitution or other governance document 
• your address, rental agreement or evidence that you have successfully delivered services in Tower Hamlets for at least one year 
• organisation bank details  
• evidence of income of below £150,000 
• Safeguarding policy 
• Equality and Diversity policy 
• Public Liability insurance  

The governance, local connection and managing money criteria are mandatory (pass or fail). If your organisation fails on any of these criteria, you will not be eligible for funding. 

If you do not have a Safeguarding policy, Equality and Diversity policy or Public Liability insurance, you will still be eligible for funding (non-mandatory). A pre-award condition will be in place to ensure outstanding documents are provided should the organisation be recommended for funding.  

Project assessment

To assess your project, we will use the following criteria:

• aim and outcomes of positive activities for young people
• proposal of positive activities for young people
• track record
• equality, diversity and inclusion
• workforce
• health and safety
• budget and resources plan

Access the portal 

If you are having issues using BBGM please contact us at vcs@towerhamlets.org.uk.