Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults 2023/24

The ambition of this Fund is to support initiatives which promote mental health and wellbeing at a small scale, grassroots, community level. Applications can be accepted from a wide range of voluntary, ‘not for profit’ organisations, associations, groups and clubs or collaboratives/partnerships which have a strong community focus towards their activities.

The types of organisations that can apply are:

• Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIO)
• Unincorporated Associations
• Trusts
• Companies Limited by Guarantee
• Not-for-profit company or asset locked company or Community Interest Companies (CIC)
• Cooperative and Community Benefit Societies
• Community councils
• Parent councils (*Subject to conditions)

The Fund will also consider funding Unconstituted groups, either by supporting them to be become constituted, or by supporting a partnership application with a constituted entity (that meets criteria above) holding a grant for the Unconstituted group.

The Fund can support both existing and new projects. Projects funded through the first 2 years of the Fund are eligible to apply again but should clearly show how they will develop and improve in Year 3 and where possible, they should demonstrate early impacts from Year 1/2.

We are welcoming any application from eligible groups that can demonstrate activities or services that seek to improve the mental health and wellbeing, particularly ones that are community led. Based on local needs in East Renfrewshire we are particularly interested in projects addressing the following needs:

• Recovery from addiction.
• Social isolation and loneliness.
• Suicide prevention.
• Dementia community supports.
• Access to physical activity, diet and nutrition

The fund also aims to support the groups most affected by the cost of living crisis, and for this reason we are particularly interested in project supporting the following groups:

• Care experienced adults (16yrs+)
• Older people
• Carers
• Women and girls
• Asylum seekers and refugees
• People with learning disabilities/ neurodiversity
• Ethnic Minority communities
• LGBT+

This fund has a specific focus on adults’ mental health and wellbeing, in this case adults are classed as anyone over the age of 16 years old.

How much organisations can apply for:

We have an overall funding pot of £236,712.59 and our ambition is to ensure that a broad reach across community organisations is met. The distribution of grants are as follows:

• Organisations/Groups with an annual income of up to £25,000 can apply up to £10,000.
• Organisations/Groups with an annual income of over £25,000, can apply up to £50,000
• Unconstituted groups can apply for up to £2,000

The application process will look slightly different this time around. All applications will be uploaded using Microsoft teams forms in the same way as in the first year. However, there will be specific dates in place for each of the 3 funding levels available.

Up to £2000 – Small Grant
Deadline: 31st of January 2024 at 5pm; unless the money is fully allocated beforehand.

£2,001 up to £10,000 – Medium Grant
Deadlines:

• 29th October 2023
• 29th November 2023
• 3rd January 2024

£10,001 up to £50,000 – Large Grant
Deadline: 17th January 2024

For full details on all 3 funding levels, please download the fund guidance (PDF).