Applications for this grants round closed at 12:00 on Monday 21st December 2020.
Purpose
Medium grants up to £3,000 are available for voluntary groups, community groups and social enterprises to get more people in Greater Manchester walking. Through the use of these grants we aim to test different approaches and share the learning generated. We are supporting safe physical activity opportunities during Covid-19 restrictions as we know how important it is for everyone in Greater Manchester’s health and wellbeing.
You can find GM Walking's latest advice on walking during Covid-19 here.
All activities must encourage people who are usually less active to start or increase the amount they walk regularly whilst adhering to government social distancing guidelines.
They must also address one or more of the following:
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Support individuals not in work, with long term health conditions or young people;
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Engage with communities, schools and businesses to encourage walking as part of the daily routine;
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Work with communities to understand key walking destinations, routes and local barriers and solutions to get people walking;
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Increase the number of trained and confident “Walking Champions” who are active in the community;
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Make environmental changes/improvements that will encourage walking.
The grants can be used to pay for; equipment and capital projects, travel expenses, training, additional staff-time and facilitators. Where possible we would like ideas to link with local initiatives and grants programmes. This fund can be used as match funding for other local grants with similar purposes.
Organisations will become part of a network that promotes and supports walking across Greater Manchester.
GMCVO are giving out the grants on behalf of GM Moving who have received funding from Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership to support as many people as possible to walk more regularly. For more information about the Greater Manchester Walking initiative go to https://gmwalking.co.uk.
Eligibility
To be eligible applicants must:
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Be a constituted Voluntary, Community or Social Enterprise organisation (VCSE) operating in Greater Manchester for the benefit of Greater Manchester residents (also includes Glossop).
Applications from CIC’s will be accepted if they have a minimum of three directors, a membership and an asset lock with a specified organisation named.
Applications from Companies limited by guarantee will need a minimum of three directors, and within their Articles of Association a statement about their purpose and social impact, a not for profit clause, a director remuneration clause as well as a clause stating that assets will be distributed to another not-for-profit organisation fulfilling similar objects if they dissolve. -
Have a bank account requiring two signatures in the name of your organisation.
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If applicable to the people taking part in the activity, have in place an up to date safeguarding policy with staff and/or volunteers undertaking DBS checks if appropriate to the role.
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Have signed up to the Walking Voice network www.gmwalking.co.uk/gm-walking-voice and commit to raising awareness of the GM Walking campaign.
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Be willing to undertake an evaluation of your project and share the learning generated.
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The project must be delivered by the end of August 2021.
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Give permission for GMCVO, GM Moving and GM Walking to feature your project on their website.
Criteria
Successful applications will:
1. Have a main focus on encouraging people who are usually less active to start or increase the amount they walk regularly whilst adhering to government social distancing guidelines.
2. Address one or more of the following:
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Support individuals not in work, with long term health conditions or young people;
-
Engage with communities, schools and businesses to encourage walking as part of the daily routine;
-
Work with communities to understand key walking destinations, routes and local barriers and solutions to get people walking;
-
Increase the number of trained and confident “Walking Champions” who are active in the community;
-
Make environmental changes/improvements that will encourage walking.
3. Be driven, developed and ideally delivered by people from within local communities.
4. Explain how you know your activity is needed and wanted by the people who will be taking part.
5. Explain clearly how you will encourage people who are usually less active or inactive to take part.
6. Show how long term positive change will take place to peoples walking habits.
7. Adequately explain your idea as well as how and when your activity would be delivered.
8. Give a detailed explanation of costs and how they relate to the idea.
9. Tell us who and how many people are likely to take part.
How decisions will be made
Applications will be firstly marked to ensure they meet the eligibility above. Decisions on applications, who have met eligibility, will be made by a panel consisting of GMCVO and GM Moving officers, as well as an independent party. Criteria will be scored from 1 (did not meet the criteria at all) to 5 (excellent response that fully met the criteria) against each criteria. Applications will need to score at least 3 (satisfactorily addressed the criteria) on each point to have a chance of being successful.
Decisions will be made using the scores generated as well as the need to ensure that the grants will benefit a wide spread of people across Greater Manchester as well as the priority groups.
Deadline for applications: Monday 21st December 2020 at noon.
Announcement of decisions: Friday 15th January 2021.