Introduction – Overview of the funding
Reading Borough Council, together with Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE), are inviting local organisations who support Reading residents with their health and wellbeing to apply for this project grant. The grants are designed to support community-based organisations working with those at the greatest risk of experiencing poor health outcomes and health inequalities.
Who is eligible to apply?
This grants programme is aimed at voluntary and community groups based in Reading Borough including:
- Charitable organisations
- Voluntary organisations
- Constituted community groups
- Faith groups
- Sports groups
- Arts groups
- Cultural organisations
- Not-for-profit social enterprises
Groups can apply in partnership or as a single organisation.
What are the funder priorities?
Priority will be given to projects that work with groups of people with a higher risk of experiencing poor health outcomes and health inequalities, including those who experience barriers to vaccinations.
Funding criteria:
The project is inviting applications for funding that support the following project grant criteria:
- Projects which strengthen community development by empowering individuals in the community to identify their strengths, support other members of the community and consolidates community relationships.
- Projects which encourage individuals in the community to harness their skills, resources and knowledge to support other members of the community and reduce health inequalities.
- Projects which include working with Community Health Champions to identify community needs and developing initiatives or support to meet those needs
- Projects which address misinformation about health and wellbeing in our local communities, including working to build trust between our communities and statutory organisations, including health partners.
- Projects which encourage and support residents to access appropriate health and wellbeing services and accurate health and wellbeing information
- Projects which look to explore, understand and evidence health inequalities in the communities of Reading
- Projects which support Reading residents to access vaccines or information about vaccination, including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the flu vaccine and Covid-19 vaccines.
Funding requirements:
If your application is successful:
- Your organisation is expected to recruit at least one voluntary Community Health Champion (CHC) within their organisation. The Champion could be an existing paid member of staff, a volunteer, or a service user/participant. Training and support will be provided to any recruited CHCs by the CHC team.
- Your organisation will also be offered the opportunity to host NHS Health Check pop up events as part of the Community Wellness Outreach (CWO) project. The aim of the CWO project is to bring NHS Health Checks and health and wellbeing support to the communities of Reading.
How much can organisations apply for?
Organisations can apply for grants of up to £10,000 (from an available pot of £44,000)
What the funding can be used for
The funding can be used to pay for the infrastructure and/or additional capacity needed by voluntary and community organisations to expand their existing work or to deliver new projects.
- Local ‘one-off’ and small projects.
- Running events.
- Minor start-up costs (for example, to get a new idea/project off the ground).
- Running costs such as hall hire and staff capacity.
- Purchasing equipment.
- Sessional costs (including staffing costs).
Is there a deadline?
The deadline for applications is April 5 2024 at 5pm.
Find out more/how to apply
Guidance notes and an online application form can be found on the Reading Borough Council website.
For further support from RVA with preparing your application or the policies and procedures required for this funding, contact Herjeet Randhawa at herjeet.randhawa@rva.org.uk