Partner Article

Community groups invited to apply for grants of up to £1000

Community groups across County Durham are being encouraged to apply for funding to help bring local people together, tackle inequalities and create opportunities for residents. 

Housing association believe housing has grants of up to £1,000 available for not-for-profit organisations delivering projects that benefit communities where it has homes. 
The funding can support a wide range of activities, from volunteering and training opportunities to projects that help people increase their income, improve their wellbeing, reduce waste, or manage financial pressures linked to rising living costs. 

Damian Pearson, Community Investment Team Leader at believe housing, said: "We know that small grants can make a big difference to local groups with good ideas for their communities. 
"This funding is there to help organisations bring people together, support wellbeing, build skills and respond to the issues residents are facing day to day. 
"We encourage any group looking to start or build on a project that could make a positive difference in their community to get in touch and see how this support could help." 

Groups can apply for up to £1,000 during the financial year, which can be awarded as one £1,000 grant or two separate £500 grants. Funding can contribute towards a mix of capital and revenue costs, including equipment, activities, training and venue hire. 

To be eligible, projects must support at least one of believe housing's community investment themes:

• Bringing communities together
• Health and wellbeing
• Employability and training, including volunteering and skills development
• Increasing household income through activities such as debt and benefits advice, money support and initiatives helping people into work
• A greener, fairer future by reducing, reusing and recycling
• Tackling inequalities, including challenges caused by the cost-of-living crisis
• Bringing the community together. 

Projects must demonstrate they benefit people living in communities where believe housing has homes in central, east or south-west County Durham.

The grants form part of believe housing's wider commitment to creating healthy homes and sustainable places, supporting community-led projects that help residents build brighter futures and stronger neighbourhoods. 

For further details and to apply, visit: believehousing.co.uk/community-funding/

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Catherine Priestley .