Connecting You Seed Fund

With a focus on improving health and wellbeing in the broadest sense, the Connecting You Seed Funding aims to make a difference right down at street level within our communities in the Rochdale Borough.

The funding pot has been termed a ‘seed fund’ because we see this funding as the seed from which activities and communities grow. The term seed suggests that this is a very early investment, meant to support the project until it can become self-sustaining.

Your application to the fund must demonstrate how it will meet all 5 key criteria:       

1. Enabling – working with our current or new community groups to quickly and easily support them
2. Responding – to opportunities and gaps identified within our communities
3. Connecting – reaching and involving  more community members as a result of the funding
4. Targeting – specific groups such as, long term conditions, or areas agreed at neighbourhood level
5. Building – adding value to your community though an essential ‘trade’ criteria where the receiving group are asked to offer a trade-off in a community contribution.

There are 5 priorities to bid against focused on fun, connecting people and ultimately improving lifestyles. These priorities have also been identified because they are centred on evidence based approaches which impact on the seed funding theme of improving wellbeing and reduce pressure on services:

• Arts and culture
• Walking and physical activity
• Growing and cooking
• Connect 5 / mental wellbeing
• Self-care / people supporting people around health conditions

General information:

• We will fund revenue and activity costs, equipment and building costs. We’ll also fund staff costs if they are essential to the delivery of the project, for example seated exercise instructor costs.
• To secure seed funding it is proposed that groups will be constituted with their own bank accounts. We can provide support if required to achieve this. If groups are not constituted we will work with them to identify alternative arrangements and enable progress.
• The funding is for grassroots organisations, particularly emerging local groups as well as charities and other not-for-profit organisations whose focus is on local work (annual income under approx £100,000).
• Only one application for seed funding (either the £200 or £2,000 - not both) will be accepted per organisation. Community Builders will be able to work with groups to enable them to build resilience moving forward.
• Organisations or groups could look to collaborate with others if this would be beneficial to the community and would prevent duplication / competition with existing activity.

The Connecting You Seed Fund has an open application system, so groups and organisations can apply anytime. Applications can be submitted throughout the year.

Funding is available for:                                                                          

1. Small pots up to £200 each
2. Projects of up to £2,000 

For the £200 Connecting You Seed Fund

• Quick and easy, short template to be completed against the criteria.
• Community Builders then provide a statement of support with approval from Rochdale Borough Council.
• Decisions will be made within 2 weeks.

For the £2,000 Connecting You Seed Fund

• This will be open for applications on an on-going, rolling process against the 5 criteria.
• Applicants will initially complete a short application form.
• Friend’s panels will be established for each neighbourhood with representation from, for example, secondary schools / colleges, older people, mixed genders and ethnicities. The panel members will have knowledge and skills regarding the local community and be impartial community representatives. The panels will meet every 4 to 6 weeks to review bids submitted.
• Applicants will be invited to attend the panel and discuss their proposal.
• The panels will make recommendations to Rochdale Borough Council for approval.
• The aim is to make a decision and respond to applicants within 4 to 8 weeks of their submission.

We will ensure a fair, impartial and needs-led distribution of funding across Rochdale borough and between the 5 priorities.

Performance information will need to demonstrate outcomes articulated in the application.

Financial information presented will need to demonstrate the funding has been spent on the agreed initiatives within the funding application.

The monitoring and evaluation plan will be agreed individually within the funding agreement. The scope and scale of the evaluation will reflect the amount of project funding. It will take the form of evidence against the criteria, as well as qualitative information for example, telling the story and photos.

Successful recipients are expected and encouraged to undertake proactive publicity to demonstrate the positive impact that their initiatives have had. This may be in the form of videos, press releases or social media activity. 

You must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the EU General Data Protection Regulation. 

You must submit your information in the application form including full details of your proposal including costs and benefits. Any personal information that you provide in the application is shared with the friends panel and used only for the purpose of reviewing the grant application and the ongoing administration and management of any grants that are awarded. 

We may publicise projects on social media, our website and to other members of the public via press releases. 

You've the right to remove consent at any time and to ask that information about you is removed from our systems. There are occasions where we may need to retain sufficient information, for example to evidence funding that's been distributed, but we'll ensure we comply with data protection legal requirements.

To apply for the funding please click on the appropriate link below or see "downloads" for an application form.

• Up to £200 application form
• Up to £2000 application form

Applications and any supporting documents must be completed in full and must be submitted with the application form.

Please either email your completed application form to:

livingwellhmr@biglifecentres.com

Or post to:

Community Builders, Living Well, Suite G2, Lock 50 Business Centre, Oldham Road, Rochdale, OL16 5RD