Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund – Workshop Success!
We recently hosted two successful workshops to kick off Year Four of the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund. These sessions were designed to provide third sector organisations across Argyll and Bute with detailed information about the fund, changes in the application process, and an opportunity to shape how the fund can best meet local needs.
A Fund for the Community, Designed by the Community
Takki Sulaiman, our CEO, opened the workshops by emphasising the community-focused nature of the fund. “This is your fund,” he stated, adding that since its inception, the fund has been developed with input from third sector organisations, keeping a “light touch” approach to the application process where possible. He noted, “The investment in prevention and early intervention has been superb, allowing us to address mental health and wellbeing in its widest possible sense.”
In response to feedback from previous years, the 2024 application process has been streamlined. For this year’s round, the previous Expression of Interest (EoI) and Third Sector Support Advisers (TSSA) review stages have been merged into a single, simplified stage. This aims to reduce the burden on applicants and speed up the process, ensuring that funds are disbursed to the successful projects by mid-December 2024.
Listening to Feedback: Simplified Application Process
Takki highlighted the importance of gathering insights from participants, saying, “We’re looking for your views on last year’s application process, priorities, and proposed changes this year.” The goal is to make the application more efficient while maintaining transparency and fairness. He acknowledged that while some data collection is required by the Scottish Government, Argyll and Bute TSI has worked to keep the process as simple as possible.
The fund will continue to prioritise projects that support mental health and wellbeing, with flexibility around the size of grants. The workshop participants discussed whether to ring-fence a portion of funds for smaller grants, ensuring more groups can benefit, while maintaining larger grants of up to £10,000 for more significant projects.
What’s Next?
We encourage all eligible organisations to take advantage of the support available from our Third Sector Support Advisers. Whether you’re applying for a small grant or a larger project, our advisers are here to help you every step of the way. You can find the presentation from the workshops, as well as a recording of the sessions, via the links below:
📥 Download the Workshop Presentation Presentation
🎥 Watch the Workshop Recording (coming soon)
Key Dates:
- Applications Open: 9th September 2024
- TSSA Support available: until the 30th September
- Application Deadline: 14th October 2024
- Funds Disbursed By: Mid-December 2024
The recording and presentation slides will give you an overview of everything you need to know, from how to apply to understanding this year’s priorities and grant amounts.
How to Apply:
Applications for the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund open on the 9th. Visit our funding site for all the details and guidance on how to apply from that date. Don’t miss the opportunity to secure funding for projects that make a real difference in mental health and wellbeing in our community.