Shifting power to communities in South London through the THINC fund

People are the experts of their own lives, but funders and other institutions often make decisions that affect communities without properly engaging the people who live in them.

That’s why we partnered with the Wellcome Trust in 2020 to fund a range of projects that empower communities to make decisions that affect their lives.

THINC fund: Community-led decision-making

Our latest project in the partnership is the Tackling Health Inequalities Through Neighbourhood Collaboration (THINC) fund.

The new fund supports projects identified by local community researchers to address health inequities and continues our partnership’s goal of exploring how community-led decision-making can make health research more accessible in South London and beyond.

In October 2025 we launched the fund in two South London communities: Brixton in Lambeth and Peckham in Southwark.

With £400,000 available, the initial funding call-out focusses on projects that will support people’s mental health and access to healthier food choices.

Community Boards

Between June 2023 and April 2024, we worked with Clearview Research to recruit a group of people living in Lambeth and Southwark to design a governing structure for the fund, called the Community Boards.

The Community Boards are made up of local residents who help shape the fund, ensuring it reflects community priorities and stays rooted in local needs.

The fund is designed to reach groups that don’t usually apply for or receive funding, breaking down barriers and making opportunities more inclusive. Each board member represents a marginalised community – whether through race, disability, or gender – ensuring diverse perspectives shape the fund.

This opportunity marks the start of a three-year trial to explore how Community Boards operate.

Our aim is to understand the most effective ways to recruit community members to decision-making boards, examine the role of these boards in setting funding criteria, and identify the best ways to communicate opportunities to communities.