Deciding Together Local Fund for York

This is a new fund that puts people in York in control of £240,000 to design and decide on grants to help the city better respond to people facing multiple issues including homelessness, addiction & recovery, mental health & well being, poverty and offending.

The aims of the fund are;

  • To connect and help create space so that people can explore, understand, question and change systems that perpetuate disadvantage in York. 
  • To involve people who live, work and/or access services in York– both how the fund operates and what it supports (funds).  
  • To learn and share with others how funds like this can help change the ways things are done. 

What could the Deciding Together Local Fund for York support?

Anything the fund supports should have long term impact in mind rather than meeting direct and immediate need.

The fund may allow people to take a step back, think strategically, explore who they could work with and how they learn from different approaches.  They may experiment, create a prototype and get things wrong.

People do not have to have a detailed plan in place and stick to it for the duration of their funding.  This fund gives people the space for the approach to fully form.  An idea could change and evolve over time as people discover/understand more.

So it could support:

  • Ideas that are preventative (not crisis management),
  • Ideas that help people come together to make solutions for themselves,
  • Ideas that bring people around an issue to address it from multiple angles,
  • Breathing space that give people the time to explore systems and perpetuation of multiple disadvantage.

 

Size of grants

There are two levels of funding;

  • small grants up to £1000, and;
  • larger grants for which we have not set an upper limit as we do not wish to limit ideas.

 

Who can apply?

We will accept applications for either a small or large grant from the following:

  • Constituted voluntary and community groups.
  • Registered charities
  • Community Interest Companies.
  • Other organisations with charitable aims, including statutory agencies.
  • Partnerships and/or collaboratives (formal or informal) that are led by organisations with charitable aims.

We will also consider applications for small grants from the following:

  • Individuals
  • Un-constituted groups i.e. groups that do not have a formal structure but that work together to improve lives of others.

We may need a suitable mechanism such as the Social Change Agency to manage grants to successful individuals and un-constituted groups but we will provide further guidance and support if you are successful.

 

 

How to apply?

Before applying, please read the Guidance notes for this grant scheme carefully.

There are two drop-in sessions on the 23rd July and 8th September between 10am and 11am for people wanting to apply to find out more.

Book here for the drop in sessions.

The easiest way to apply is online, click on the apply button below to start your application.

However, if you prefer you can click here to download a word version of the application form.

 

When to apply?

The deadline for applications is 20th September 2021

Apply

Areas covered