Aims/Priorities: The Best Start for Life Community Fund aims to empower Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) groups to offer or grow their mental health support and services, for families in pregnancy and the first two years of a child’s life, complementing core services to ensure a strong network of support across the neighbourhoods.
Round 6 funding aims to build the capacity of the VCFSE sector to support parents with 0–2-year-olds facing challenges relating to the experiences and relationships with their developing baby, including:
- Reducing stigma around perinatal mental health
- Reaching and empowering diverse communities with respect to culture, disability, gender and family structure
- Inclusion of dads and co-parents
- Increasing access through digital offers
- Promote healthy parent-infant relationships, improve the emotional well-being of children and contribute to improved school readiness
- Build relationships with families to enable early identification of mental health issues and support accessibility to services
- The grant may enable existing organisations to fill a gap such as expanding times or accessibility or reaching out to a wider range of care givers including foster carers, fathers and co-parents.
Who can apply? Voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) groups locally rooted or
actively working in the borough of Tameside; and
- who are members of Action Together CIO (you can register for free to become a member); and
- are formally constituted; and
- have relevant insurance liability cover; and
- have up to date safeguarding policies; and
- have at least three people on your board or committee who are not related; and have a bank account in the organisation’s name requiring at least two unrelated signatories
- have an annual income of less than £500,000
- Is an active member of Tameside’s Best Start for Life network (for medium grant applicants)
Have an interest in joining Tameside’s Best Start for Life network (micro and small grant applicants).
Previous and current recipients of Best Start for Life grant funding are eligible to apply.
Grant Amount: There are 3 types of grants available:
Micro-grants - up to £1000
Available for new and emerging ideas and community led approaches to be tested and grown.
Small grants - up to £11,000
Available for VCFSE organisations to develop their project ideas over 12 months.
Medium grants- up to £33,000 over 3 years
Established VCFSE organisations that are actively involved in the Best Start for Life network, can apply for up to £33,000 to be used over the 3-years. This will create the conditions for more sustained activity, enabling organisations to plan with confidence, increase engagement in the Best Start for Life network, and create more opportunities for multi-agency and cross sector workforce development.
Application Process: Please read the guidance notes thoroughly before submitting an application.
BSFL Round 6 Guidance Notes.docx (145.24 KB)
Application form for Micro (up to £1,000) and Small grants (up to £11,000):
BSFL Round 6 Application Form - Micro and Small Grants.docx (87.42 KB)
Application form for Medium grants (up to £33,000 to be used over 3 years):
BSFL Round 6 Application Form - Medium Grants.docx (90.31 KB)
If you have any queries about the application process, contact Jayne Gibson on 0161 339 2345 (3705).
- Decisions will be made by a panel with representation from the PPIMH Steering Group, Home-Start HOST, Early Attachment Service, and Action Together.
- All applications must be sent to funding@actiontogether.org.uk and you will receive the decision via email.
Deadline: Wednesday 5 August 2026 (noon)
Contact Information: Email funding@actiontogether.org.uk Phone 0161 339 2345 (3705)