Community Funding Grants available

A grant of up to £137,962 is available for a local Healthwatch service to understand needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf.

Currently, West Northamptonshire Council and North Northamptonshire Council have a joint Northamptonshire Healthwatch organisation contract that will expire on 31 March 2025.

This transition will enable the Council to separate from a Northamptonshire-wide Healthwatch service and develop a new, local Healthwatch West Northamptonshire service.

A local Healthwatch service is a requirement of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. 

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 places limitations on the types of organisations that can provide Healthwatch services. These limitations ensure that providers meet the definition of voluntary, community, or social enterprise organisations, and certain not-for-profit constitutionalised organisations.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant. 

5pm on Wednesday 22 January 2025

 

If you have any questions, please contact us by email [email protected].

Please quote “Healthwatch West Northamptonshire” and include a contact telephone number in your email.

Grants of up to £100,000 are available for projects or services that support:

• the Food Aid Network
• vulnerable households struggling to afford energy bills and energy saving essentials
• vulnerable households struggling to afford household and wider essentials

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire Council.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant. 

Grants from £20,000 are available for projects or services that are community based which seek to improve the mental wellbeing of local residents.

The Council welcomes joint bids, especially with an emphasis on collaborative working to tackle mental health inequalities within our local area.

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire Council.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant. 

Email [email protected] for an application form and guidance.

Please state ‘Community Mental Health Prevention Grant’ in the subject title of the email.

If you have any questions, please contact us by email [email protected] and include a contact telephone number in your email.

Please state ‘Community Mental Health Prevention Grant’ in the subject title of the email.

Grants of up to £100,000 are available for projects or services that support:

• the Food Aid Network
• vulnerable cohorts such as disabled people, care leavers, pensioners and those with caring responsibilities
• vulnerable households struggling to afford household and wider essentials

Community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire Council.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant. 

Grants of up to £5,000, are available for arts and culture projects or services that address an identified local need and support, enable or facilitate the achievement of one or more of the Council's strategic aims, objectives or priorities.

To be eligible to apply for this grant scheme organisations must meet 2 or more of the following requirements:

• providing ongoing arts or culture activities for the local community
• improving the well-being of vulnerable people
• increasing the number of people accessing arts and culture
• increasing the number of visitors to West Northamptonshire
• increasing levels of physical activity through the use of arts and culture activities

The funding is available for new or existing projects and is open to all Voluntary and Community Sector organisations.

However, priority for funding will be given to those who work with:

• young people aged 0-16
• care leavers
• carers 
• foster carers or adopters
• older people
• people with disabilities
• people with mental health issues
• people from diverse communities

Community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire Council.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant.

This grant scheme is open to local registered charities, not-for-profit and VCSE organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire.

Eligible applicants must address an identified local need, and support, enable or facilitate the achievement of one or more of the Council's strategic aims, objectives or priorities. Details of these strategic aims, objectives or priorities can be found on our website and in our Community Funding Grants Framework.

Community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire Council.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant.

This grants scheme aims to support local people to develop their learning and skills and help them get into work.

These grants are available to provide support to the Council’s residents, aged 16+, no longer in full-time education, who would like to develop more or different skills.

Examples of how the grant can be used include:

• delivering training towards qualifications or building life skills
• improving communication skills and social skills
• increasing confidence, work experience, coaching or other support
• supporting literacy and digital skills

The Skills for Communities grant scheme compliments WNC’s existing Multiply programme which is already delivering numeracy skills to local people. The grants cannot be used to fund activity already supported through other funding streams such as the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Community, voluntary and social enterprise organisations that operate, or are prepared to operate, within the geographical area of West Northamptonshire Council.

Town and Parish Councils are not eligible to apply for this grant.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Please quote "Skills for Communities Grant Scheme" and include a contact telephone number in your email.