NHS Blood and Transplant

Community Grants Programme

The Community Grants Programme (formerly the Community Investment Scheme) is part of NHS Blood and Transplant's commitment to build support for blood, organ and living kidney donation amongst Black, Asian, mixed heritage and minority ethnic communities. The programme funds community and faith/beliefs organisations to drive awareness, understanding and behaviour change through trusted local organisations with specialist knowledge and understanding. In its latest round of funding, the programme awards successful applicants two years of funding to deliver life-saving work, with £600,000 of total funding per year available. Organizations can apply for up to £20,000 per year to deliver work in blood donation (£300,000 pot for projects engaging Black African and Caribbean communities only), deceased organ donation (£150,000 pot), living kidney donation (£150,000 pot), or combined blood and deceased organ donation. The programme aims to address the shortage of Black blood donors whose blood is used to treat conditions like sickle cell, and the shortage of ethnically matched organs for those waiting for a transplant in all Black, Asian, mixed heritage and minority ethnic communities. Through the programme, NHS Blood and Transplant seeks to empower grassroots organisations to engage, educate and recruit more donors as clinical data shows that ethnically matched blood and organs provide the best treatment. Establishing and building trust in these communities is vital, as Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities face numerous health inequalities. The programme looks to work with trusted and authentic voices in the community to deliver these messages and make a real change for those whose lives will be improved or saved by donation.