THE Love Essex Fund is back and offering micro-grants of up to £2,000 to support community repair projects in Essex.

Since 2019, the Love Essex Fund has provided funding to nearly 200 projects across Essex. These projects help to reduce household waste by encouraging reuse and repair.

This funding round, the Love Essex Fund is focusing on repair. The projects eligible for funding include repair cafés, skills workshops (for example, sewing, woodwork, electronics, or metalwork), men’s sheds and more. The fund is available to community groups, individuals, schools and organisations.

To be eligible for funding, the project must:

• be based in Essex (excluding Southend and Thurrock)
• provide opportunities for the community to reduce their household waste through repair services
• provide skills to the community to help them repair items 

Councillor Peter Schwier, Essex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste Reduction and Recycling, said: “I am delighted to announce that the Love Essex Fund has returned for another year to support 10 repair projects.

“In line with the Waste Strategy for Essex, we have committed to support activities that promote repair and encourage skill-sharing within local communities.

“I look forward to seeing what the community groups achieve with their micro-grants.”

To apply for a micro-grant, visit the Love Essex Fund webpage. Applicants will need to provide:

• their project name
• what their project will involve
• how their project will help to promote repair
• how they plan to spend the micro-grant

Previous recipients can apply again. This should be with a new project or to fund the continuation of a previously funded project.

Applications are now open and close on 30 November 2025, just before midnight. Find out more information about the Love Essex Fund.