Community Cash Boost Fund Revealed

Published by Esme Trelease for Endeavour Housing Association in Housing

Two new funds set up to support communities have been launched by North Star Housing Group, parent company to Endeavour and Teesdale Housing Associations. The ‘Community Strengthening Grants Fund’ and ‘Usay!’ fund pots total £25,000 and will be used to fund community and voluntary initiatives.

Community and voluntary groups in areas where Endeavour and Teesdale Housing Associations operate will be encouraged to apply for funds. All applicants will be considered by a grants panel, which will consist of staff and tenant panel members.

£20,000 will be available in the Community Strengthening Grants Fund, £15,000 of which will be available for large grants of up to £2,500 each, with a further £5,000 being available for small grants of up to £250. Grants will be awarded to groups wishing to improve their neighbourhoods and develop projects, events and activities.

The USay! fund has £5,000 available to groups who will be able to apply for funding up to a maximum of £750.  Applicants to the Usay! fund who meet the criteria will be invited to attend the North Star Tenants’ Conference in October. Tenants attending the conference will then vote for the groups that they would like to see funded based on short presentations from the applicants. The Usay! fund has been developed specifically to help community initiatives by providing funding for equipment hire, the purchase of IT equipment, training, publicity, and transport.

The two funds form part of North Star’s new and unique approach to working with its communities. As Tracy Jones, Community Investment Officer at Endeavour Housing Association says, it is exciting to be involved in this new approach.

“The Community Investment approach looks to harness the strengths of communities, and works with people to develop “their voice” and capacity. It is more empowering, and sustainable. This is a new approach and North Star are very much leading the way in the region.” She goes on,

“We’re very excited to launch these two new funds. They are the culmination of a great deal of work to identify the best ways of supporting the communities in which we work. The funds will give groups and individuals the means to launch projects, initiatives and activities for the good of their neighbourhoods.”

Tracy stresses that grants are not limited to tenants of Endeavour and Teesdale Housing Associations.

“People living in neighbourhoods where Endeavour and Teesdale have homes are encouraged to apply. We are looking for projects, events and activities that will benefit not only our tenants, but their local communities too.”