Community groups across the UK will be able to apply for between £500 to £1500 to deliver a standalone project, event or series of activities exploring how data can support their health and wellbeing in their communities between January – March 2026. Importantly, the application must be led by and embedded in community organisations primarily working with at least one of the following under-served audiences:
- People disadvantaged in terms of income
- People from minority ethnic backgrounds
- Older children and young adults aged 11–25 (especially in areas of deprivation)
- People over 65 (especially in areas of deprivation)
- People living in rural areas (defined as settlements of fewer than 10,000 people in England and Wales, fewer than 5,000 in Northern Ireland, and fewer than 3,000 in Scotland)
- People experiencing digital exclusion
They will be looking for community-led proposals that take a responsive, inclusive and creative approach. Examples could be a community step challenge, data-inspired arts and crafts, or a project to help gather trustworthy data to advocate for a community’s health and wellbeing needs. Community groups know their audiences best – we want to enable them to take the lead, providing support and guidance if needed.
More details on eligibility, guidelines and the application process will be available when the ‘Take the Lead’ grants open in September 2025.
HDRUK is holding a Q&A session about the grants at 2pm on 11 September 2025. Email HDRUK to receive the link.
