LGBTQ+ History Month
February is UK LGBTQ+ history month, an annual observance of LGBT+ history and celebration of the culture.
Apply for a micro grant to help celebrate LGBT+ History Month in February 2026
We're inviting applications for small grants to support community-led celebrations for LGBT+ History Month 2026. Grants of up to £1,000 are available to help bring your ideas to life.
LGBT+ History Month is a time to recognise and celebrate the lives, contributions and achievements of LGBT+ people throughout history and across all areas of life. Since the first UK LGBT+ History Month in 2005, communities have come together to highlight the richness and diversity of LGBT+ experiences and to create spaces where everyone feels safe, seen and supported.
This year’s theme will be announced on 7 November, but we are opening applications from 31 October to give successful applicants plenty of time to plan their events. We will update this page with the theme once it is announced.
Applications close on 27 November, and we will confirm outcomes before the Christmas break, so you will have a good lead in to prepare for February’s programme.
We encourage applicants to connect their events to the theme once it is announced, as it helps create a cohesive programme, but this is not a requirement of the fund.
Project funding
We are offering small grants up to £1000 to support people living or working in Lewisham to create their own local activities or events during LGBT+ History Month in February.
Applications close at 11.59pm on Thursday 27 November 2025.
You can take inspiration from last year’s events which included:
- creative workshops
- theatre and performance
- film screenings
- exhibitions and heritage displays
- discussion panels and talks
- reading groups and literary events
- fashion and activism activities
- community celebrations
We welcome any new ideas too. If you have an idea for an event or activity that celebrates LGBT+ History Month and you meet the application criteria, fill out the application form for a chance to receive funding.
Application criteria
Please read the following criteria before submitting your application:
- applicants must demonstrate lived experience of being part of, or working closely with LGBT+ communities
- activities must celebrate, explore or raise awareness of LGBT+ history, identity or community experience
- members of LGBT+ communities should be involved in the planning and/or delivery of the project
- projects must take place in the borough of Lewisham
- projects must take place between 1-28 February 2026
Please note: we can fund organisations as well as individuals, however if you are making an application as an individual, you must be endorsed by a constituted organisation. This could be a housing association, residents association, voluntary sector organisation, faith organisation, food bank or local school. All we require is you provide the details of your endorsing organisation. We will follow up with this organisation to confirm your relationship and organise payment of funds.
Funded organisations must ensure that:
- a bank account is in operation into which payment can be made. We cannot pay into individual bank accounts; if your group does not have an official bank account you will need to ask an organisation to hold the money for you (contact us if you need help with this).
- all legal and insurance liabilities associated with the project are fulfilled
- appropriate safeguarding measures are implemented such as DBS checks
- all projects are completed between Sunday 1 and Saturday 28 February 2026
- a completed monitoring form with appropriate information is provided at the end of the project. This will include a 1-pg narrative report on your event or activities along with pictures and quotes from attendees and any data collected on number of attendees, feedback etc. The deadline for completed monitoring forms will be Friday 27 March 2026
If you have any concerns or questions about the above requirements or anything else related to this application form, please email cultural.grants@lewisham.gov.uk.
If you are hosting a street party then you will also need to apply for a road closure.
All funded projects will be requested to send information about their projects along with any pictures (with any necessary permissions) prior to the event.
Applications close 11.59pm on Thursday 27 November. We will not be able to consider late applications.
LGBT+ Heritage Month grant application timeline
- programme launch: Friday 31 October 2025
- this year’s theme announced: Friday 7 November 2025
- deadline for applications: 11.59pm on Thursday 27 November 2025
- assessment panel meets: Thursday 11 December 2025
- successful applicants informed: Monday 15 December 2025
- events take place: between Sunday 1 and Saturday 28 February 2026
- monitoring forms due: Friday 27 March 2026