Supporting small organisations to build stronger communities
Action Hampshire is working with VIVID Housing, a Hampshire based Housing Association, to deliver their Community Investment Fund, £100,000 of investment into communities containing VIVID homes across Hampshire and neighbouring counties.
This fund’s aims are to support community-led initiatives that bring people together, strengthening those communities, and make positive impacts on those neighbourhoods. The fund is administered by Action Hampshire and is specifically targeted at supporting residents of VIVID Housing’s properties.
The fund is open for bids from individuals, community groups, charities, social enterprises, faith groups and small businesses who want to make a difference to their communities and can ensure that at least 30% of the people supported by their project are VIVID customers. The funding available for any project is a maximum of £1500 with the scope for schemes being very broad as long as it fits the aims of the fund as outlined above.
Since the fund was launched on 13 April there have been applications for funding for 46 projects and we have had three panels assessing these applications with their membership made up of a of a VIVID staff member, a member each from Local Infrastructure Organisations Basingstoke Voluntary Action and Community First and seven volunteers who are VIVID customers from Hartley Wintney, Waterlooville, Eastleigh, Portsmouth, Gosport and Basingstoke. Over 25% of the £100,000 funding has been allocated already to all corners of Hampshire.
Some of the projects successful in being awarded funding include:
- Providing summer holiday events and activities for pre-schoolers and infants with the events including craft sessions and entertainment including storytellers and magicians.
- Supporting residents in an area of significant health inequalities to access free gym membership for three months which will include a personalised programme to improve their physical and mental health and meet their fitness goals.
- Starting a sensory based early years programme designed for babies to early walkers including for children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) that will be parent led and enabling bonding and confidence in early family relationships.
- Put on a community event that is a celebration of the over 60s with the aim of bringing together the older residents of a village and tackling loneliness with lots of activities for them to get involved with including music, stalls, a free cream tea for 100 residents and a dog show.
Organisations that have been successful for being awarded funding include small businesses, community associations (small charities that run community centres), not-for-profit Community Interest Companies, a Citizens Advice Bureau and all kinds of charities.
If you’d like to bid for the funding or get more information, please follow this link and if you want to get in touch with us please e-mail us at info@actionhampshire.org
We’re particularly keen for bids from areas with VIVID Housing in Surrey, West Sussex, Berkshire and Wiltshire, so if you are in those areas or know someone who is we look forward to hearing from you!
