Applications open for grants to improve Morecambe’s West End
Pride in Place West End Morecambe has opened applications for its Early Wins funding, offering grants of up to £15,000 for local projects that can deliver visible benefits in the West End within six months.
The Early Wins fund comprises £260,000 and forms part of the £20m Pride in Place government investment into the West End over the next 10 years.
Residents and businesses will determine how that money is spent.
Community groups can apply for these one-off grants, either for events support such as for a festival, or for equipment and materials to help achieve their goals.
Applications must demonstrate how the proposed activities will benefit the residents or businesses of the West End, and they must align with the themes that the Pride in Place team has already gathered from their community voice survey.
These themes include the environment, housing, jobs, health and wellbeing, safety, education, transport, and local empowerment.
Applications will be open until October 15 and must come from an organised group with a bank account.
The Pride in Place team can offer support and advice to residents where this is an obstacle. Successful groups will meet with the Pride in Place team throughout the process for regular updates.
All applications will be reviewed by the Community Voice Panel and Street Champions – a body of volunteers made up of local residents. It will be a fair and transparent voting process.
Pride in Place project manager Sarah Newton said: “This is an extremely positive step for the programme, and we hope this will help people to feel confident about Pride in Place and draw people into this ten-year project. We are excited to see what ideas groups will put forward, and we believe this will generate momentum and demonstrate the benefits of Pride in Place.”
Neighbourhood Board member and local resident Eleanor Adamson, 23, said: “I’m really pleased to see the Early Wins funding open because there are so many people and smaller community groups with brilliant ideas who may not have the experience or confidence to apply for funding.
"I’m particularly proud that support is available to help people through the process. I’m really looking forward to seeing funding reach people and groups who may not have had that opportunity before.”
Community groups interested in applying can access the full list of eligibility criteria and apply online through Pride in Place’s website.
Paper applications are available at the Pride in Place office at 37 Alexandra Road, and the team is available to help groups apply if necessary.
For questions or further information about the Early Wins criteria or application, contact Pride in Place at [email protected] or stop by the office.