Advanced Notice: Anchor Community Grants

Anchor Community Grants has been established for resident groups of all kinds to help you live well. Living well or ‘wellbeing’ is more than the absence of problems and illness but brings together personal and social factors too. It’s about enabling individuals and communities to do well in life and flourish which is where a grant from Anchor could help.

The fund supports a range of activities and projects from help to fund a scheme social event to redesigning an area of the scheme aiming to bring residents together and combat social isolation by improving the wellbeing of residents.

How does it work?
Any resident, colleague or social group/association can apply for a Community Grant. Colleagues and residents are encouraged to work together to come up with a great project idea that requires funding to get it up and running. Residents can apply for up to £5000 on a yearly basis to support with projects in their Anchor community.

Community Grants applications are reviewed by our Community Grants Panel when they meet once a year. Their next meeting will be in April 2024 and those with successful applications will be contacted shortly afterwards. All applications will be subject to review by the Community Grants Panel who will review your application in line with our guidance document.

What can Community Grants be used for?
There are three categories to apply for in both our care and housing services – all reflecting different areas of wellbeing. Applications should make sure they meet at least one of the categories listed below:

• Getting active and being connected – Arranging an event or an activity that connects residents or neighbouring estates and communities to reduce social isolation and build relationships. This could be a one-off or series of events. We encourage intergenerational events and activities and includes increasing resident engagement. Examples include reminiscence therapy, garden improvements, dance classes, computer or digital skills training.
• Increasing resident involvement – Some residents might be unable to take part in social activities or find it difficult to be involved in decision-making about location issues due to lack of accessibility. This could be due to hearing and sight impairments, lack of wheelchair access or where English is not their first language. Your application could be for making improvements to accessibility, such as purchasing hearing loops for a common room.
• Living well on locations and keep learning – Your project could help improve the quality of life for residents where you live, by making improvements to the environment. This could include building raised vegetable beds in a garden, creating a sensory garden, planting a wildlife area, or building a covered seating area. Other examples include learning activities or classes based around common hobbies and interests such as book groups that could support those who no longer find reading easy.

For more information click here.