Community Sparks
Community Sparks began with a simple but important question: What happens when communities that have historically received little investment are trusted with the resources, relationships and decision-making power to shape their own future?
Rather than funding projects for the community, Community Sparks invested in local people and grassroots organisations, recognising that those closest to local challenges are also closest to the solutions. Through participatory grant-making, community-led decision making and ongoing support, the programme strengthened local leadership, built lasting connections and enabled residents to create change on their own terms.
Coming soon: Click here for the Community Sparks Poplar January 2025 to July 2026 Impact Report .
- Click here to watch a video of the pitch and voting day.
- Click here to watch a video of the celebration event.
Building the foundations
During the first six months we focused on relationships rather than funding.
Activities included:
- Community outreach.
- Conversations with Neighbours in Poplar, as an established well-known organisation in Poplar.
- Speaking to local residents.
- Mapping community assets.
- Identifying existing grassroots groups and community spaces.
- Co-production workshops.
- An Open Day introducing residents to local organisations and services.
- Identifying gaps in local provision.
- Supporting groups before applications opened.
By the time funding launched, residents already understood the programme because they had shaped it.
From community development to community investment
The original intention was to support hyperlocal community development, as funded by The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington.
As the programme evolved, the Wakefield and Tetley trust became interested in the approach Tower Hamlets CVS was taking to grassroots development and community capacity building.
Together we explored whether participatory budgeting could become part of the programme.
This led to the creation of the Community Sparks Grants Programme, enabling local residents to decide which ideas should receive funding.
The result combined long-term community development with resident-led investment.
- Supporting physical and mental wellbeing – projects that helped people access services, information, and healthier lifestyles.
- Building community understanding – projects that brought people together, reduced isolation, and helped neighbours connect.
The Community Sparks Model
Community Sparks wasn’t designed as a one-off funding programme.
It was designed as a community development journey.
Each stage built on the previous one. Funding sat in the middle of a much bigger process. Groups received support before they applied, while they delivered their projects and after their funding ended. This meant organisations didn’t simply complete projects – they became stronger organisations.
Pitch and voting day
We had 27 incredible ideas submitted to the Community Sparks Poplar Grant programme, which led to 18 projects pitched by 15 presenters, and the residents deciding which projects got funded.
Click here to watch a short video of the pitch and voting day.
Huge congratulations to the 14 projects funded through Community Sparks Poplar Grant Programme:
- Unlocking Thames Path, Walk & Health talks – East London Seniors Club (22 votes).
- Food Bank – Neighbours in Poplar (19 votes).
- Boules & Men’s pottery therapy sessions – Feldy Fellas (16 votes).
- Mother and Daughter sessions – Sultana Begum (14 votes).
- Healthy eating sessions – Shahjalal Centre (12 votes).
- My Adventure Pages – Active Wellbeing and Arts (10 votes).
- Black History Month Residency – Julie & Sandra (10 votes).
- Cooking classes & healthy eating – Monzo Moni (8 votes).
- Craft and Connect – Active Wellbeing and Arts (8 votes).
- Raised beds – Neighbours in Poplar (8 votes).
- Make noise for a greener Poplar – The Men’s Cabin (7 votes).
- Coffee morning & exercise classes – Monzo Moni (7 votes).
- Women’s exercise classes – Will Crooks TRA (7 votes).
Community Sparks Celebration event
The Celebration and Learning Event brought funded groups, residents and partners together to celebrate everything they had achieved. Over food from Hooyo East and in a space kindly provided by Republic Campus, each project shared its impact, what they had learned and what they hope to do next. A local freelance videographer captured the stories from the day.
The event also looked ahead. Together, we reflected on how Community Sparks could be even stronger in the next round, discussed the tools and support community groups need, and created a WhatsApp group so organisations can continue sharing opportunities, learning from one another and supporting each other long after the programme has ended.
Supporting organisations beyond funding
One of the key lessons from Community Sparks was that funding alone often wasn’t enough to meet local groups’ needs. To address this, groups were also offered one-to-one support and group workshops focused on organisational development, covering:
- Governance.
- Constitutions.
- Safeguarding.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
- Trustees’ roles.
- Monitoring and evaluation.
- Funding for community activities.
- Budgeting.
- Project planning.
For many groups this was their first experience of managing grant funding.
Rather than expecting organisations to already know how to apply, monitor and report, Community Sparks treated the entire process as a learning journey.
Several groups have since:
- Become constituted organisations.
- Incorporated as Community Interest Companies (CICs).
- Secured additional funding.
- Developed new partnerships.
- Accessed free community venues.
- Strengthened their governance.
The programme therefore invested not only in projects, but in the long-term resilience of local organisations.
Community Sparks was developed and delivered by the Development Team at Tower Hamlets CVS.
The programme design, community outreach, participatory grant-making, organisational capacity building and delivery led by Ayaann Yusuf, Development Officer.
The programme was led by Development Manager Sam Crosby.
Videography – Claire Nolan.
Development support funded by – The Charity of Sir Richard Whittington.
Grant funded by – Wakefield and Tetley Trust.