Stay Cool Kingston - Hot Weather Support Grants 2026

The Stay Cool Kingston - Hot Weather Grants aim to reduce heat-related harm and increase community resilience during anticipated periods of high temperature during the Summer of 2026.

Extreme heat poses a significant risk to vulnerable, younger and older residents, particularly those who are socially isolated, living in poor-quality housing, or managing long-term health conditions.

The grant will provide a practical, community-led response by equipping vulnerable residents with essential cooling items and simple, accessible health guidance.

How much can you apply for?

KVA will distribute a total amount of £4,000 funded by RBK-Kingston Public Health.

Each group will be able to apply for £500 to £750, and we will fund 5 to 8 community groups or charities.

These grants will enable groups to:

Purchase and distribute hot‑weather support items*
Deliver light-touch education on heat safety
Reach vulnerable, younger and older residents at greater risk due to age, disability, health conditions, housing, or socio-economic challenges
Signpost to 'cool places' available in the borough

* Eligible items for distribution may include: Summer caps or wide-brimmed hats; handheld fans (manual or battery-powered); cooling towels or cooling wraps; refillable water bottles; sunscreen; room thermometers; hydration support items (e.g., electrolyte sachets).
Please note that you will need to provide the receipt for all hot-weather support items purchases.

Who can apply? 

Not-for-profit organisations 
Voluntary or community sector organisations 
Faith groups

What you need to have in place

a written Constitution or Memorandum and Articles or a set of rules that establishes that you are a voluntary, community, faith or other not-for-profit organisation.
a management committee or board of trustees/directors with at least three members 
a bank or building society account in the name of the organisation 
an accounting system, such as annual accounts, to record income and expenditure

What you will need to do:

 The fund is to support practical interventions or activities that engage vulnerable Kingston residents to: 

Run activities that provide practical support and resources to residents most at risk from extreme heat. This could be an event or a series of activities delivered in your community
Typically reach around 20-50 residents. Smaller groups of fewer than 10 participants will also be considered to ensure support is tailored to individual needs
Purchase and distribute hot‑weather support items
Provide simple heat‑safety education alongside item distribution (share printed or digital heat‑safety guidance, signposts to cool places, etc.)
Send a minimum of one person from your organisation who will become a Hot Weather Champion to attend the training and information session
Register to receive weather-health alerts

How to Apply

You can access the application form here: APPLY HERE - Link coming soon

The Closing date for applications is 8 March 2026 at 6 pm.

Training and support

If your application is successful, you must send 1-3 people from your organisation to attend a training and information session delivered by RBK-Kingston Public Health and Kingston Voluntary Action, to be trained as a Hot Weather Champion.

This session will equip your organisation with the key heat‑safety messages to share with your communities, guidance on buying hot‑weather support items, and relevant local signposting information.

The session will be led by Sue Webster, Health Protection Lead at RBK-Kingston Public Health and Kingston Voluntary Action.

The online session will cover:

Heat‑health risks and vulnerable groups
Communications on staying safe in the heat
Recognising heat exhaustion, heatstroke and stress
The importance of the Heat-Health Alert action card
Eligibility and purchase of hot-weather support items
The role of Hot Weather Champions
Monitoring and reporting requirements

A link to Hot Weather Online Resources will be available to all participants following the session with:

Information detailing all the key information shared in the in-person 'training and information session'
Leaflets and resources, available in multiple formats including Easy Read
A photo consent form template and a data collection template to support you in capturing the key data from your activities.

How will you capture and evaluate your activity?

Funded organisations will be required to submit:

Receipts for all items purchased
A brief final 1-page report including:
- Number of residents reached
- Types and quantities of items distributed
- Educational methods used
- Observed impact or feedback from Hot Weather Champion resulted from the activity, two photos and two quotes from residents are requested - if you can provide these.
- Basic demographic information such as ethnicity, disability, age, gender and location

How will you receive the funding?

The funding will be released after attendance at the information and training session, once the award letter has been signed and returned together with a bank account statement.

Decision Making

Applications will be reviewed based on the KVA's grant distribution guidance. A minimum of 2 people will be on the grant panel. We may ask for further information before a decision is made.

The decision about your application will be provided by email in the week commencing on 30 March 2026. Feedback will be shared with you if you are not successful.

Key timescales

Date	Stage
12 February 2026 - 12:00	Applications Open
8 March 2026 - 18:00	Applications Close
w/c 30th March 2026	Community Grants Awarded
26th March 2026, 10:00 to 11:00	UKHSA adverse weather and health plan webinar
22 April 2026, 14:30 - 16:00	Training Session for Hot Weather Champions
1 June to 15 August 2026	Grant Delivery
30 August 2026 - 12:00	1-page Evaluation Report Due

For more information, please contact:

Eneida Capaldi
eneida.capaldi@kva.org.uk
VCSE Sector Development Manager

Kingston Voluntary Action
Siddeley House
50 Canbury Park Road
Kingston upon Thames
KT2 6LX
020 8255 3335
www.kva.org.uk