Funding & Training Focus - 08 January

Happy New Year everyone!
 
Welcome to your first funding focus e-alert of 2025! From all of us at Engage we hope you had a fun festive period and exciting Hogmanay!

We're in to the last quarter of the 2024-2025 financial year and as far away as summer feels forward planning for summer activity and projects is key. 

If you would like to make an appointment to discuss your funding strategy for 2025, please get in touch info@engagerenfrewshire.com

Local Employability Grants Programme

Renfrewshire’s Local Employability Partnership welcomes proposals for delivery of employability related activity from April 2025 to March 2026  across 8 different themes/priority groups that it has identified following a robust needs assessment process.

1. People for whom a lack of English language skills is impacting on their ability to progress into work.  (Stages 1 and 2)
2. Unemployed (or low income) residents requiring vocational skills to progress into employment.
3. Unemployed people or low- income residents wishing to pursue self- employment (Stages 3-5)
4. Unemployed or economically inactive people with disabilities or long-term conditions (Stages 1-5)
5. Unemployed or low paid parents/kinship carers. (all stages)
6. Unemployed or economically inactive Renfrewshire residents whose mental health is negatively impacting on their ability to engage with employability support; progress towards or into employment; and/or sustain employment or training.
7. Justice System experienced population (Stages 1-5)
8. School leavers/unemployed or economically inactive young people including care experienced young people.  (Stages 2-4) 

Proposals are sought from across the third, public (including education) and private sectors.

The closing date for applications is the 31 January 2025.

Any queries should be directed to kay.mcintosh@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Information sessions for those interested will take place via Teams on Monday 13 Jan 10am – 12 noon and Monday 20 Jan 10am – 12 noon.

Download the Guidance and application form here

Funding for Activities to Improve the Lives of the Elderly
Small grants are available to fund projects to improve the lives of the elderly across the UK. 
Home Instead Charities awards grants for well-being events, activities, or pastimes that prevent social isolation and loneliness among adults over 55.
 
Eligibility Criteria:

• small grass roots organisations can apply for funding up to £500
• small local registered charities can apply for funding up to £1,500

 Applications will also be considered from groups, associations, and charities that do not directly service the over-50s but the project they require funding for does, e.g., a local school wishes to hold a special afternoon tea for its local care home residents.
 
Applications can be submitted four times per year in January, April, July and October. Applications received in January will be processed and awarded in February.
 Find out more here


Community Partnership Programme to Tackle Food Poverty & Support the Elderly 
Convenience store operator One Stop has announced that its Community Partnership programme has re-opened for applications. The programme provides grants of up to £1,000 to community groups and other not-for-profit organisations operating within a two-mile radius of a One Stop shop (local shops are in Renfrew and Johnstone)
 
The grants are available to support projects and initiatives that are:

•  Tackling food poverty
• Supporting the vulnerable
• Supporting the elderly
• Supporting low-income families
• Supporting a healthier lifestyle, such as Youth sports teams

The closing date for applications is the 24th January 2025. Find out more here

Funding for Respite Breaks for Disabled Children and their Families
Families and groups of children, schools, organisations, and other registered charities can apply for financial assistance from the Adamson Trust for the cost of holidays or respite breaks for disabled children with physical, mental, or emotional impairments. To be eligible, the child must be a resident in the UK, between the ages of 3 and 17, and the Trust requires evidence of their disability or illness from a medical or social services professional. Grants from the Trust usually only cover a portion of the holiday expenses. The next closing date for applications is the 31st March 2025 for the May meeting Find out more here

Tesco Stronger Starts looking for applications for Renfrew Superstore blue token voting 
Stronger Starts supports thousands of local community projects and good causes across the UK. The scheme is open to all schools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations, with priority given to projects that provide food and support to young people. It provides grants of up to £1500 to local projects from across the whole of Scotland.
Application now welcome for Renfrew activity to take place during the summer.
Application support is available here: https://www.greenspacescotland.org.uk/grant-funding
August awards of £1,500, £1,000 and £500 are gifted after the April - June customer vote. Applications must be submitted by 29 January. Find out more here

Peter Harrison Foundation Opportunities Through Sport Grant Scheme
Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) throughout the United Kingdom can apply to the Peter Harrison Foundation Active Lives grant scheme. The scheme aims to provide opportunities for sport and physical activity at a grassroots level that enable people who are physically, mentally, socially, or economically disadvantaged to develop personal and life skills and fulfil their potential.
 
The grants can be used for a variety of purposes, such as funding new sports programmes, improving existing sports facilities, or providing training and support for sports coaches.
 
The Foundations provide two levels of funding:

• Major grants: between £5,001 and £30,000.
• Small grants: up to £5,000  

Priority will be given to organisations with an annual turnover of up to £500,000.
 
The next closing date for applications is the 01 April 2025. Find out more here

Funding to Support Self-Management for Long-Term Health Conditions
 
Grants of up to £120,000 are available to charities, community interest companies (CICs), community groups, and other not-for-profit organisations to help individuals to manage their own health more effectively. The funding which is being made available through the Scottish Government's Self Management Fund and administered by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, supports innovative early intervention projects that empower people with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or unpaid caring responsibilities to take control of their well-being while awaiting specialist support. Organisations can apply for grants up to £120,000 for projects lasting up to three years. The closing date for applications is 9am on 27 January 2025. Find out more here

Funding to Support Vulnerable Young Migrants
Not for profit organisations and private law firms assisting young migrants can apply for grants from the Strategic Legal Fund (SLF) for Vulnerable Young Migrants. 
These grants aim to support strategic legal work that benefits disadvantaged migrant children and young people (under 25 years old) who are living in poverty and facing significant disadvantage or discrimination due to their immigration status. The SLF only supports strategic legal work carried out in the UK. This is defined as work where the impact is likely to go beyond an individual case, and to result in changes to law, policy and practice that will benefit a wider group of people.  The maximum grant amount is £30,000, but due to limited funding, applicants are encouraged to request lower amounts. The average grant size is approximately £12,000.
The application deadline for the next round of grants is 27 January 2025.  Find out more here

Funding for Projects that Strengthen Local Communities
Grants of £1,000 - £5,000 are available for local projects strengthening communities in England, Scotland, and Wales.
The Delamere Dairy Foundation will provide support for charities, community groups, social enterprises and other not-for-profit organisations delivering projects that fit the objectives of the Foundation:

•    The advancement of agriculture and environmental protection
•    The advancement in life of young people by developing their capabilities so that they may mature as contributory members of society
•    The relief of financial hardship
•    The advancement of education
•    The relief of sickness

The next closing date is the 28 February 2025  Find out more here


Funding to Address the Related Themes of Poverty and Trauma
The Robertson Trust has launched its 'Nurturing Relationships' funding theme. This initiative aims to address the intertwined challenges of persistent poverty and intergenerational trauma by supporting projects that foster nurturing relationships within families and communities. Open to constituted community groups and registered charities in Scotland with annual incomes under £2 million, the programme offers small grants of up to £20,000 and large grants of up to £50,000. Funding prioritises preventative measures and holistic support, particularly for vulnerable groups such as lone parent families, disabled people, racial minorities, asylum seekers, those on low incomes or benefits, unpaid carers, and those in rural or deprived areas. Applications close on 24 January 2025. Find out more here
 

Funding for Projects that Have a Positive Impact on Communities, People or the Environment
The Matthew Good Foundation has opened the next round of its Grants for Good Fund. The aim is to support small charities, not-for-profit groups, and social entrepreneurs passionate about making a difference for people, their communities, and the environment. The Fund will share £15,000 between five shortlisted projects every three months, which will be voted for by John Good Group employees. The project that receives the most votes will receive a grant of £5,000, second place £3,500, third place £2,500, and fourth and fifth place, both receiving £2,000. As well as established projects and charities, the Foundation wants to hear from people with innovative ideas that need some funding to get their projects up and running. To be eligible, applicants must have had an income of less than £50,000 in the last 12 months. Funding is awarded every three months and the next deadline for the next funding round is the 15 March 2025. Find out more here