Equality and Diversity Community fund

Each year we support a range of events and projects to celebrate and promote equality and diversity within the borough.

Equality and Diversity Community fund

Each year we support a range of events and projects to celebrate and promote equality and diversity within the borough.

Charities and community groups play an important role in delivering these events. One of the aims of the Borough Manifesto is greater community cohesion and ensuring that change in our community is resident led.

The Equality and Diversity Community Fund allows local charities and community groups to take a greater role in delivering events related to the Barking and Dagenham Equality and Diversity Calendar, creating new and engaging projects that will benefit our residents. These projects should promote social inclusion, celebrate diversity, and support equality through providing opportunities for people with protected characteristics. Further information on protected characteristics can be found on the Equality and Human Rights Commission website

Applications

We are pleased to open up applications again from Saturday 1 February 2025 to Thursday 27 February 2025 (midnight), inviting you to apply for funding to hold an event for any Equality, Diversity and Inclusion event in particular, but not exclusively, for:

  • World Autism Awareness Day (April)
  • Vaisakhi (April)
  • Easter (April)
  • St George’s Day (April) 
  • Dementia Action Week (May)
  • International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia (May)
  • Mental Health Awareness Week (May)
  • Pride Month (June)
  • Eid-al-Adha (June)
  • Carers Week (June)          
  • Learning Disabilities Week (June)
  • South Asian Heritage Month (July)

Applications can be made until Thursday 27 February 2025 (midnight), via the One Borough Voice website (you’ll need to create an account for your application).

If you would like a MS Word version of the application form, please contact the team at email CE-strategy@lbbd.gov.uk

The Equality and Diversity Community Fund Application Guidance (January 2024) (PDF, 191.88 KB) provides further information to help support you with your application.

We hold three rounds for the Equality & Diversity Community Funding every year, applications will only be accepted during the application window for each round.

1 February - applications open

  • early March - panel meets
  • mid-March - applicants informed of decision

1 June - applications open

  • early July - panel meets.
  • mid July - applicants informed of decision.

1 October - applications open

  • early November - panel meets.
  • mid November - applicants informed of decision.

Equality and diversity calendar 2025

Equality and diversity calendar 2024

January

27 January – Holocaust Memorial Day

29 January – Chinese New Year

February

LGBT+ History Month

5 – 11 February – Race Equality Week

March

Women’s Empowerment Month

8 March – International Women’s Day

15 March – Young Carers Action day    

25 March – Holi

28 March (tentative) – Ramadan begins

30 March (tentative) – Eid al-Fitr

31 March – International Transgender Day of Visibility 

April

Care Experience History Month

2 April – World Autism Awareness Day

14 April – Vaisakhi

18 April – Good Friday

20 April – Easter Sunday

23 April – St George’s Day 

May

13-19 May – Dementia Action Week

17 May – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia

15-21 May – Mental Health Awareness Week

June

Pride Month

6  June (tentative) – Eid-al-Adha begins

10-16 June – Carers Week           

17-23 June – Learning Disabilities Week

July

18 July - 17 August – South Asian Heritage Month

August

12 August – International Youth Awareness Day

September

15-21 September – National Inclusion Week

October

Black History Month

1 October – International Day of Older Persons

14-21 October – National Hate Crime Awareness Week

31 October – Diwali

November

9-16 November – Interfaith Week

19 November – International Men’s Day

13-19 November – Trans Awareness Week

25 November – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women & Girls

25 November – White Ribbon Day

December

3 December – International Day of Persons with Disabilities

25 December – Christmas Day

25 December - 2 January – Hanukkah