Funding Opportunities
Lancaster District Community Wellbeing Fund
The Lancaster District Community Wellbeing Fund is a small grants programme for community groups within the Lancaster District. The programme is aimed at smaller local organisations – with an annual income of less than £100,000.
The aim is to fund practical activities and projects that have a direct impact on physical and mental well-being, for example knit and natter sessions, walking for health groups, or art/crafts-based activities. We will prioritise projects that work with people who are experiencing challenges that impact on their overall health and well-being.
Please note that this fund is different to our Community Health Champions Fund (CHCF). The CHCF aims to help create education opportunities within the community to promote healthy behaviours, including COVID-19 vaccines, to reduce health inequalities across the district. This Well Being Fund is specifically to enable activities to take place that positively improve physical or mental well-being. The two funds are complementary, and applications can be made to both funds by the same organisation.
Rounds
In order to distribute the fund widely, there will be four targeted rounds:
Round 1: Projects taking place in rural areas (closes 17 June 2022)
Round 2: Projects focused on working with BAME communities or young people (closes 9 September 2022)
Round 3: Projects focused on working with over 55s or disabled people (closes 13 December 2022)
Round 4: Projects taking place in specific areas of deprivation (closes 21 March 2023)
Multiple Applications
Successful applicants cannot apply again for the same project, and can only receive funding for a new project once a completed progress report form has been returned.
Download our application guidance notes here and start your application here.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900.
Eric Wright Charitable Trust
All smaller local organisations working within the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector are encouraged to apply for financial help in providing activities that will make a positive difference to the lives and wellbeing of people of any age. Grants of up to £500 are available.
The grant is available to organisations with an annual income of less than £50,000 (you do not need to be a registered charity to apply).
The fund is administered by Lancaster District CVS on behalf of the Eric Wright Charitable Trust (EWCT) via the LDCVS Bay Foundation. See our guidance notes for more information on the EWCT.
Timescale
Applicants to the Spring 2022 round should have now received notification of outcomes.
We look forward to announcing the next round soon.
Multiple Applications
Organisations who have received awards from the fund are welcome to apply again.
Download our application guidance notes here and start your application here.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900.
Community Health Champions Fund
Earlier this year, Lancaster City Council were successful in getting funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to address inequalities in health in the district.
Lancaster District CVS is working with Lancaster City Council to distribute grant funding to support our communities in talking about our health and wellbeing. The fund aims to help create education opportunities within the community to promote healthy behaviours, including COVID-19 vaccines, to reduce health inequalities across the district.
Organisations can apply for grants between £500 and £10,000 to run project and events supporting this aim.
Prior to starting an application, please read the guidance notes.
Rounds & Deadlines
Applications submitted by 5pm on the following dates will be considered at the following panel meeting.
- 29 April
- 31 May
- 30 June
- 29 July
- 31 August
Multiple Applications
Organisations who have received awards from the fund may apply on a second occasion in order to extend or develop existing activity which has shown clear evidence of impact.
Download our application guidance notes here and start your application here.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900
The Urgent Response Fund - Coronavirus
This is a small grants fund for charities and community groups in need of resources to effectively deliver projects / activities to support the basic health and wellbeing needs of vulnerable members of the community in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the lockdown and from March 2021 to the gradual easing of restrictions.
Timescale
Decisions are made monthly or more frequently when there is high demand. The fund is temporarily closed to new applications.
Multiple Applications
Organisations who have received awards from the fund are welcome to apply again.
Download our application guidance notes here and start your application here.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900.
Lancaster Community Fund
Lancaster City Council and Lancaster District CVS invite local charities and community groups to apply to the Lancaster Community Fund. Grants of up to £1,000 are available to volunteer organisations in Lancaster District that need help to deliver projects and activities for the benefit of local people.
The fund has three main priorities:
- Projects that increase community involvement, build community wealth and resilience.
- Projects that contribute towards carbon reduction and a more sustainable district.
- Projects that contribute towards carbon reduction and a more sustainable district.
Timescale
Application deadlines for the 2022/23 year are:
- 11 November 2022
- 10 February 2023
Criteria
Applications are particularly welcomed from groups working in disadvantaged communities or from new and smaller grassroots groups with low income.
Download our application guidance notes here and start your application here.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900
Lancaster District Street Aid
Residents wanting to help make a real change to the lives of rough sleepers can now do so via the new Lancaster District Street Aid scheme and the wonders of technology.
Cashless donation terminals have been installed at Dalton Square Pharmacy, Student Housing Lancaster (Penny Street), and Treasure Island (Marine Road, Morecambe).
Alternatively, donors can give £3 by texting STREET to 70450 (texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message), and make larger donations through Totalgiving or using QR codes displayed on Street Aid posters.
Donations will generate a pot of funding that individuals can apply for in partnership with a supporting organisation (voluntary sector or local authority), to get the sort of practical help they need to stay off the streets for good.
Types of support that can be applied for via the scheme include access to housing, furniture and other home essentials, education/training courses, clothing for job interviews, equipment/materials for hobbies and interests, and transport to interviews/place of work.
Timescale
Decisions are made as soon as possible after applications are submitted.
Multiple Applications
Organisations who have received awards from the fund are welcome to apply again.
Download our application guidance notes here and start your application here.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900.
The Street Aid initiative has been launched by Lancaster City Council in partnership with Lancaster BID, Lancaster and Morecambe Area Police and Lancaster District CVS.
Funding for the scheme has been committed by Lancaster City Council, Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Community Action Fund and Student Housing Lancaster.
Nat Merriman Fund
Lancaster District CVS administers the Nat Merriman Fund on behalf of the fund’s trustees. The fund was established in memory of Nat, a young Lancaster man that passionately believed in the value of creative and performing arts in the lives of young people, who sadly died in 1994 aged 15.
The fund is open to individual aged 11-25 years old who live in the Lancaster district, as well as organisations that work with them.
Funding up to
- £300 for individuals
- £500 for groups or organisations
Priorities
To enable young people to widen their experience and appreciation of the creative and performing arts.
Applications can now be made online for both individual and group/organisation grants.
If you would like to know more about how to complete your application, email [email protected] or telephone 01524 555900.
Your privacy is important to us, so we will keep your data secure. We need your details to process and manage your funding application. Your information may be processed on our behalf by carefully selected partners. We will not share your information further unless required to do so by law, or at your request. Please see our Data Protection Policy and our Privacy Notice relating to funding applications for more information on how we look after your data.
“We” means Lancaster District Community & Voluntary Solutions, charity number 1127626
