Funding to the tune of £351,000 is up for grabs to help improve the health and wellbeing of communities in South Staffordshire.
The financial boost, facilitated by South Staffordshire Council and partners, is available through four different pots, each of which have different eligibility criteria.
The first funding stream is the £236,000 Health Inequalities Fund from Staffordshire County Council to tackle health inequalities in the district.
Examples of projects which could be eligible include initiatives to enhance public spaces; reduce social isolation; improve energy efficiency; provide cost of living support; improve community cohesion; prevent falls; offer play provision; reduce damp and mould; and promote healthy eating.
This funding must be allocated by September 2024.
Next is the South Staffordshire Community Wellbeing Fund, which offers a total of £20,000.
This funding is to support community and wellbeing projects which meet local priorities. The maximum funding available for each project under this stream is £1,000.
Meanwhile, the West Midlands Interchange (WMI) Project Community Fund is a £65,000 pot granted to the district council by the site’s developers as mitigation for the project.
This will be available for community projects within a three-mile radius of the site.
The types of projects which may qualify include schemes to enhance public spaces and facilities and initiatives to maximise public use of the community parks to be provided at WMI.
Finally, the Community is the Best Medicine fund offers a £30,000 pot to support community groups and initiatives.
This funding is for projects which support the most vulnerable in the district.
Councillor Roger Lees BEM, leader for South Staffordshire Council, described the funding as ‘an excellent opportunity’.
“This huge amount of money is a tremendous boost for the communities of South Staffordshire and an excellent opportunity for a range of projects in the district,” he said.
Councillor Victoria Wilson, deputy leader and cabinet member for business and enterprise, added: “I’d urge any individuals or groups which might be eligible for this superb range of funding to visit the council website as soon as possible to find out the criteria and get their entries submitted.”
See more information on the funding here: Community wellbeing funding | South Staffordshire District Council (sstaffs.gov.uk)