Local grants

The Welcoming Spaces grant aims to support community and voluntary organisations in tackling adult loneliness in the borough of Telford and Wrekin through the provision of social activities. 

Not-for-profit organisations including community or voluntary organisations, faith based organisations, registered charities, Town or Parish Councils and social enterprises, can apply for up to £500 (one application per organisation) to support new or existing activities, which are open and inclusive to all and aim to tackle loneliness and reduce social isolation in adults. 

There is growing recognition that loneliness is a serious problem and carries costs that are comparable with the health impacts of smoking and obesity. It has implications for individuals and communities and can affect a person’s mental and physical health.

Campaign to End Loneliness report that in 2022, 49.63% of adults (25.99 million people) in the UK reported feeling lonely occasionally, sometimes, often or always’, they define loneliness as ‘a subjective, unwelcome feeling of lack or loss of companionship. It happens when there is a mismatch between the quantity and quality of the social relationships that we have, and those that we want’. 

In Telford and Wrekin, we want residents to have access to quality opportunities to enable them to feel connected to their community and each other so Telford & Wrekin Council have made a total of £15,000 available to support projects that seek to do just this.

Grants of up to £500 were available and the fund is administered by Shropshire Community Foundation.

Applications for this grant have now closed

Telford & Wrekin Council are offering two grants to support the development of groups and projects that will reduce demand on Council services, facilitate community self-help and build resilient communities. 

The Capacity Building Fund – Get started

This fund offers up to £500 to support the creation of community and voluntary organisations which facilitate community self-help, create resilient communities and reduce demand on council services.

How to apply

It is important that you read the full guidance document for this grant before applying. This gives you all the information you need to decide whether this is the right grant for you and will help you to ensure that your application is eligible. 

Applications must be submitted online, and a list of the questions you will be asked and tips on completing your application is available to help you. 

Applications can be submitted at any time.

If you are successful you will be asked to complete a short monitoring form to tell us about the difference the grant has made. You will also be provided with guidance on communications to give you ideas on how you can let people know about your project.

Capacity Building Fund – Develop 

This fund offers up to £5,000 to support the development of groups and projects which offer preventative, community-based services. The fund aims to help communities to build capacity, in order to empower and encourage self-help resulting in a reduction in reliance on Council and other public services. Eligible organisations who are keen to develop their organisation both in terms of increasing capacity/reach and/or providing new opportunities for communities will be able to apply for funding to assist with developing community based projects and activities.

Grant applications over £1,000 must be match funded £ for £ for the value above £1,000, please view the guidance document for full information.

How to apply

It is important that you read the full guidance document for this grant before applying. This gives you all the information you need to decide whether this is the right grant for you and will help you to ensure that your application is eligible. 

Applications must be submitted online, and a list of the questions you will be asked and tips on completing your application is available to help you. 

Applications can be submitted at any time.

If you are successful in your application you will be asked to complete a short monitoring form to tell us about the difference the grant has made. You will also be provided with guidance on communications to give you ideas on how you can let people know about your project. 

The Councillors’ Pride Fund gives all Councillors in Telford and Wrekin the opportunity to allocate funding towards improvements or projects within their ward which help to deliver one or more of the following Council Priorities, which support the Council’s mission statement to “protect, care and invest to create a better borough”:

• every child, young person and adult lives well in their community
• everyone benefits from a thriving economy
• all neighbourhoods area a great place to live
• our natural environment is protected, and the Council is taking a leading role in tackling the climate emergency;
• a community-focused innovative council providing efficient, effective and quality services.

In 2024/25 each Councillor will have £5,000 to contribute to projects to support communities projects and facilities. 

Councillors are asked to consider how they can use their funding to support environmental projects in their ward including:

• environmentally friendly projects which support the Council’s aspiration for the whole Borough to be carbon neutral and a recognised Plastic Free Community
• projects which improve the environment of the ward and which complement the Pride in our Community Programme.

The 2024/25 round of funding is now open. If you are involved in a not for profit organisation and would like to seek support for a project contact your ward Councillor(s) to discuss in the first instance. 

Telford & Wrekin Council's Happy Healthy & Active Holiday programme is an exciting programme that mixes positive, enriching and engaging activities with healthy, nutritious meals. It’s available for all local children and young people aged 5-16 who are eligible for income-related free school meals.

This programme supports those children, young people and families who often miss out on organised out-of-school activities. Although they receive support for healthy meals during school terms, that’s not available during the holidays – the very time when they are most likely to suffer additional pressures.

Organisations who want to run clubs during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays 2022-24 can apply for funding.

Visit the Happy Healthy & Active Holidays webpage for more information and to apply.

The idverde Community Investment Fund aims to empower local people to deliver sought-after projects that improve their local green space or the public realm, enhance the local environment and boost the wellbeing of local people.

For more information visit the idverde website. 

Applications are now closed for funding

Applications closed on 31 October 2024 and funding will be awarded in March 2025.

Further details about the the next round of funding will be made available soon.

What is the EnviroGrant Scheme and who can apply?

The EnviroGrant funding scheme is run by recycling contractor Veolia in conjunction with Telford and Wrekin Council; it is part of the added value brought to the borough by Veolia.

EnviroGrant gives grants of up to £1,000 for projects that benefit the local community or the environment, This could be projects that improve or protect the local environment through practical action or education, projects that improve the quality of life for the local community by providing or improving facilities and resources.

The fund is aimed at projects requiring up to £1,000. There is a limited amount of money available and consequently applications can only be made to the scheme once per calendar year. Funding can be granted for a variety of projects and activities including promotion and marketing, education and awareness raising, practical equipment and running costs.

To apply, groups must be properly constituted not-for-profit organisations in the borough of Telford and Wrekin. For more information about the scheme please visit the Velolia website.

Post pandemic many charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations have seen the demand for their services and provision increase and access to sustainable funding more difficult to achieve. The cost-of-living crisis has impacted groups resilience in meeting those increased costs and demands and maintaining day-to-day operations is challenging.

The fund aims to help groups to remain sustainable and continue to support their communities. Grants of up to £1,000 are currently available to help groups with core costs associated with their provision.

The Support Fund can be spent on your organisation's running costs. These might include, for example:

• Management and administration
• Staffing and volunteer costs
• General office expenses
• Accountancy and audit
• Communications and outreach
• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
• Governance, regulatory, and compliance costs

You can submit your application at any time, applications are considered bi-monthly. The grant will be available until the funds are used up, and groups can only make one application per year.

For more information and to apply visit the Community Resource website.

Community Resource has been asked by the Millichope Foundation to administer a fund for the benefit of community buildings in Shropshire. The fund provides small grants of up to £500 to enable village halls and community centres to purchase items of equipment to help meet the needs of their local community.

Examples of things that have been funded previously include:

• Hearing loops or equipment to assist disabled users
• Tables, chairs and other furniture
• Kitchen equipment (eg white goods or crockery)
• Replacement water heaters or radiators
• Curtains, draught excluders and other insulation
• Audio and visual equipment (eg a PA system) and portable staging

The fund cannot contribute to general running costs, staff salaries, volunteers expenses, large capital projects or resurfacing of car parks.

You can submit your application to us at any time.

For more information and to apply visit the Community Resource website.

Your local Town or Parish Council may have grant opportunities. Find out about your Town or Parish Council.

Supporting families, children and community projects that benefit children aged up to and including 18 who are disadvantaged, disabled or ill to improve the day-to-day quality of life. Visit Free Radio cash for kids website.