Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund
Supporting community based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing
Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund
Fund Overview
The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults (the Fund) was established in October 2021 and to date has distributed around £99 million to community initiatives supporting mental health and wellbeing across Scotland. In Renfrewshire the fund has seen over £2.6 million distributed to organisations, community groups and community projects.
The Fund has a strong focus on prevention and early intervention and aims to support grass roots community groups in tackling mental health inequalities and address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention and tackling poverty and inequality. There will be a continued emphasis in Year 4 on responding to the cost of living crisis and on those facing socio-economic disadvantage.
The overarching aim of the Fund is to:
Support community based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing and/or mitigate and protect against the impact of distress and mental ill health within the adult population (aged 16 or over), with a particular focus on prevention and early intervention.
Years 5 & 6
Overview
In February 2025 Scottish Government announced that the CMHW Fund for Adults would now be delivered as part of a multiyear programme of delivery.
The opportunity to grant funding across two years has arisen as part of the Scottish Government’s Fairer Funding pilot, as part of the government’s commitment to deliver fairer funding for the third sector. The pilot has been set up to provide more certainty and allow for longer-term planning, aiming to improve stability and cost-efficiency for organisations and services.
In Renfrewshire this means we aim to dedicated 80% of our funding (approx £400,000 in year 5 and again in year 6) towards multiyear projects, with 20% ringfenced (approx.£100,000) for unconstituted groups and those who may not be eligible to apply for multiyear funding.
Year 5 projects are all now well underway and we will shortly be opening year 6 for single year applications.
Single Year Funding Guidance
Click here for the single year guidance (pdf format)
Click here for the single year guidance (doc format)
Single Year Information Sessions
To support new and returning applicants we are hosting information sessions ahead of the fund reopening on September 18th. The sessions will cover the aims and objectives of the fund, what it can and can't fund, and considerations a group may want to make when completing an application.
All sessions are offered hybrid, with groups able to join in-person out our offices in Ferguslie Park or online via Microsoft Teams.
Please signs up for an information session here:
Multiyear Funding Guidance
Click here for the multi-year guidance (pdf format)
Please note this is for reference only as the multiyear option for funding is now allocated.
YEAR FIVE FUNDING NOW ALLOCATED AND PROJECTS UNDERWAY
See the full list of funded projects across multiyear and single year here
Year 5 saw the delivery of over £600,000 to the sector, thanks to additional funds being made available by Scottish Government in late 2025.
A cross-sector panel decided funding allocations and projects are well underway. The funding period will run for a maximum of 2 years for those in receipt of multiyear funding, and 11 months for those in receipt of single year.
This year we received more applications than ever before, with 131 groups submitting a note of interest and/or a full application. Our thanks to our panel and all those who applied this year.
Information on previous recipients of CMHW funding:
See list of first year funded organisations and projects here
See list of second year funded organisations and projects here
See list of third year funded organisations and projects here
See list of fourth year funded organisations and projects here
- Scottish Government's report on the work of TSIs in distributing this fund for year one can be found here.
Renfrewshire Wellbeing Network
All CMHW funded groups are invited to be a part of the Renfrewshire Wellbeing Network. This cross-sector network brings together third and public sector organisations looking at improving mental wellbeing outcomes in a community setting.
The network meet every two months and discuss current issues facing communities across Renfrewshire, explore potential for collaboration and co-produced work, and share learning and resources.
If you would like to find out about the next meeting please consider signing up for the dedicated monthly newsletter. Sign up here.
