Aims/priorities: Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is seeking grant applications from GM Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to support GM residents who are at higher risk of lasting health, social and financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic and are less likely to engage with mainstream communications approaches. This grants programme is administered by GMCVO.
Grants will be used to tailor and target a forthcoming Greater Manchester-wide “safely living with COVID-19” campaign (running from late September and for the remainder of 2021), to ensure effective reach of appropriate messaging and support to some specific priority audiences of higher risk/lower engagement.
The “safely living with COVID-19” campaign is due to begin in late September, focusing in particular on these key desired continued behaviours:
- Testing if experiencing coronavirus symptoms or feeling unwell
- Twice weekly rapid-testing for people without symptoms to manage their personal risk
- Getting both doses of the coronavirus vaccine and a booster if offered
- Self-isolating if testing positive or a close contact of someone with the virus when not fully vaccinated
- Quarantining when travelling from red list countries, or if otherwise needing to do so
- Cautious actions while coronavirus rates remain high:
- safe return to workplaces
- wearing of face coverings in crowded areas and on public transport
- meeting people outside or letting fresh air indoors
- minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts
- using the NHS COVID-19 App and NHS COVID-19 Pass to help to limit the risk of infection
It also aims to support and empower residents by signposting to support for significant challenges being faced as a result of the pandemic, such as:
- Mental wellbeing
- Finance and employment
- Food poverty
- Education and skills
- Wider health challenges/conditions
Who can apply? Voluntary, Community, Faith or Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisation operating in Greater Manchester for the benefit of Greater Manchester residents (If you are not constituted you must have a constituted organisation willing to accept responsibility for managing your grant). Applications from CIC’s will be accepted if they have a minimum of three directors, a membership and an asset lock with a specified organisation named. Applications from Companies limited by guarantee will need a minimum of three directors, and within their Articles of Association a statement about their purpose and social impact, a not for profit clause, a director remuneration clause as well as a clause stating that assets will be distributed to another not-for-profit organisation fulfilling similar objects if they dissolve. Applicants must either have a bank account requiring two signatures in the name of your organisation or in the name of the organisation managing the grant for you. Projects must reach into all or many of Greater Manchester’s 10 localities. Projects must coincide with the main campaign period which runs from late September through to the end of 2021. (you are not required to cover the entirety of this period or could cover a longer period should funding allow for this).
Grant amount: To enable organisations of all sizes and capacities to apply, it is proposed that the funds will be awarded as:
- 7 micro grants of between £50 and £1,000
- 4 small grants of between £1,000 and £5,000
- 2 large grants of between £5,000 and £12,000
The exact allocations of the overall funding will be determined by the range of applications received.
Application process: Application forms can be found on the funders website.
Deadline: Thursday 30 September 2021 at 17:00
Contact information: Email gmcvo@gmcvo.org.uk
Website address: www.gmcvo.org.uk