Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund

Support available: Pledges up to £5,000.

Length: Your fundraising campaign must have a fundraising deadline and can run for up to 12 weeks.

Timescales: There are two application windows in 2026. We aim to give a decision within three to four weeks of your application.

Overview

Everyday pressures make it harder for people to stay active, eat well and get good sleep. Over time, this increases the risk of long term conditions and can make it harder for people to manage their health. Community-led projects can play an important role in helping people make realistic changes that fit into everyday life.

The Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund provides match funding for projects that support people and communities in Sutton who are most at risk from long term conditions, particularly cardiovascular disease. There are 3 priority areas: move more, eat well and sleep better.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, projects must:

be for Sutton residents

prioritise and tailor activities for working-age adults (40+) or older people (65+)

focus on at least one of the 3 priority areas

and reach one or both of the following groups most at risk from long term conditions:

people living on low incomes or in areas of higher deprivation

people from minority ethnic communities who experience poorer health outcomes

Applications must clearly explain who the project is for and why, drawing on local knowledge, experience or engagement with the community. Sutton's Strategic Needs Assessment has helpful information on neighbourhoods with higher deprivation and long-term conditions. Use relevant local data to support your application, such as information from data.sutton.gov.uk.

The Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund cannot support all projects. Please read the following information carefully before applying.

Priorities

How can you motivate your community to try something new to improve health?

This fund supports projects that help communities in Sutton to improve health with at least one of the following priorities: move more, eat well, and sleep better.

Move more

Create new activities or spaces to increase time spent moving and exercising, especially for inactive people. 'Inactive' people are those doing fewer than 30 minutes of activity each week.

Activity levels vary across people's lives as they experience changes in their lives. Community-led projects can help people stay active through life’s changes.

This includes initiatives that:

support inactive or less active people to start moving more

reduce barriers to participation, such as time, cost, confidence, or fear of injury

create inclusive, accessible physical activities tailored to specific health conditions or communities (these may be delivered online, if these are interactive, facilitated, and accessible)

launch new groups or clubs in areas where opportunities are missing

use shared spaces or faith centres to deliver new physical activities

Show us when you apply how your project will:

show understanding of the barriers your community faces to physical activity

support people to build long-term habits or an interest in a sport or activity that carries on after the project finishes

increase confidence and motivation to exercise through social connection and support

take responsibility for providing safe, inclusive, and accessible physical activity, especially where activities are adapted for people with lower fitness levels or that require adaptations for mobility or health concerns

Eat well

Busy lives, the rising cost of food, and the convenience of "quick fixes" make it difficult to eat well.

As we age, we may notice changes to our appetite, our weight, or our preferences. It becomes more important to make sure we eat a nutrient-rich diet as these needs change.

Practical, community-based approaches can help promote healthier eating, improve access to healthy food, and encourage culturally diverse ways to eat well.

This includes initiatives that:

build cookery skills and food confidence

support people to access affordable, healthy food, eat well on a budget, and reduce food waste

include community gardening or food growing activities that improve food skills, confidence, or access to healthy food

help people eat well following a change in circumstances, such as bereavement or changing health needs

involve sharing a nutritious meal with the community where this forms part of a wider programme of interactive programming

Show us when you apply how your project will:

show understanding of the local community's needs, barriers and priorities around food

increase knowledge, skills and confidence around food and cooking

improve access to affordable, culturally appropriate healthy food, including locally grown food

support people to make healthier food choices that fit into their daily life

prioritise active participation and engagement

take responsibility for food safety, such as managing risks and food allergens, and providing verified information and advice in line with national guidance

Sleep better

Sleep is often a sign of how well we are coping with everyday pressures. Poor sleep is influenced by factors, including stress, loneliness, work patterns, and disrupted daily routines. Work life balance, irregular hours, bereavement and changes in employment can all affect people's ability to rest and recover.

This priority supports non clinical, community-based projects that address two or more factors affecting sleep.

This includes initiatives that:

address common factors affecting sleep such as stress, worry, or social isolation through community advice and support

offer community-based support for managing life events, such as bereavement or change in health needs, that affect sleep

help people manage challenging work patterns and balance work and life responsibilities

build routine and structure to support coping with everyday life pressures

Show us when you apply how your project will:

address at least two of the common factors affecting poor sleep (e.g. environment, social inclusion, stress and emotional wellbeing)

show understanding of the specific stressors or barriers to sleep in your target community

address wider wellbeing or social factors rather than focusing on sleep on its own

Projects we will not fund

The Healthy Lifestyles Fund will not fund projects that are:

one-off events, tournaments or festivals that do not have a plan to keep going in the future

competitive or elite sports (though we may fund sports if they help inactive people or communities get moving)

activities that are primarily for business or promotion; this includes activities that mainly benefit for-profit companies, brands or restaurants instead of the community or activities that promote products, like medicine or sleep aids

clinical or medical services

services already paid for by Sutton Council or the NHS

anything that goes against national health advice and guidance for exercise, eating, or sleep

projects that have already started (no retrospective funding will be given)

statutory or business-as-usual services that the organisation already provides or projects that you are commissioned to deliver

projects you already have a contract, grant, or funding to run (including through Sutton Community Fund and Sutton Neighbourhood Fund)

How it works

If your application is approved, the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund will offer a pledge for up to 50% toward your campaign fundraising target. The maximum pledge is £5,000.

The pledge will appear on your campaign once you:

Reach 25% of your campaign fundraising target

Have donations from at least 25 different people

You need to reach 100% of your campaign fundraising target to receive the funds from the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund. This means your pledge will become an award.

If you do not reach 100% of your campaign fundraising target, then the pledge will be cancelled.

The pledge will be valid for 12 weeks after the date of the Award Agreement. If you do not launch your crowdfunded project within those 12 weeks, your pledge may be rescinded.

It's helpful to tell your crowd about these conditions, as it can help drive momentum. The pledge is designed to create energy in your campaign, to give you a boost at a critical stage and then to encourage your supporters to back you and 'get you over the finishing line'.

Sustainability

The Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund will prioritise projects that are sustainable. This means projects that:

Build lifelong habits instead of short-term participation in an activity

Have potential for the project to carry on in delivery after the project period

Can connect participants to other offers or organisations in Sutton for further support for physical activity, healthy eating, and better sleep

Joining a network of Crowdfunded Projects

When you accept match funding from the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund, you are agreeing to join a network of crowdfunded projects in Sutton.

Being part of the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Sutton network means staying connected with other funded projects through quarterly events and online contact, sharing learning and experiences, and supporting each other where helpful.

Sharing your story

Projects that accept awards from the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund agree to share progress, results, pictures, and/or videos with the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund to support monitoring and evaluation. This will include, but is not limited to, project attendance, outputs, and pre- and post- surveys.

What makes a good project?

Creating new opportunities

Creating new opportunities, such as new activities, groups or clubs, or spaces:

New or shared spaces: Run in-person activities in new locations or use existing spaces, like faith centres, to deliver new activities

Digital connections: Use tools like WhatsApp or video calls to connect, or create reusable digital resources or online courses

Collaboration: Partner with others to reach new audiences, tackle new challenges, or expand your impact

Tailoring projects to your audience or neighbourhood

Show you understand what motivates your community and what challenges they face, particularly with long-term conditions, such as cardiovascular disease

Try new ideas from the community and involve the community in design and creation of projects

Celebrate your community's unique culture, language, or customs and practices in your project

Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund Checklist

It is important that you work through this checklist before you start completing the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund application form. This checklist has been designed to help you decide if match funding through the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund is right for your organisation, before you submit an application.

Complete checklist

Suitability

If you’re unsure whether the Sutton Healthy Lifestyles Fund might fund your project, email [email protected] to talk about your project.