Working with the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), Falkirk is part of a network of over 30 statutory organisations with responsibility for adult social care working with communities to design innovative and inclusive ways of delivering support.
Community-led projects give everyone the opportunity to socialize and take part in regular enjoyable and meaningful activities. Many of these projects and services are volunteer-led and begin with someone identifying a need in their own community and deciding to act.
You don’t need to do anything differently to access support from these projects, but the community-led approach means that support will be more easily accessible to you in your local area.
Support for Organisations
To make it straight forward to get involved in leading community-led support, the Partnership’s Community Resource Pack provides the information and tools needed to get started, including details of the small grant scheme to help with start-up costs. It contains sample policies and templates to support local groups or organisations, which can be adapted to suit. The resource pack contains:
- Support and guidance on recruitment of volunteers
- Volunteering policy
- Health and Safety policy
- Risk assessments, including a Covid-19 risk assessment
- Links and examples of existing community resources
If you require a paper copy of these materials, please contact integration@falkirk.gov.uk.
Funding Opportunities
Give your big idea or project a boost to get off the ground
A range of funding programmes and grant opportunities are available to organisations providing services and support in the local area. The information below will be updated with the latest funding opportunities from Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership.
Jump to:
- Community Choices Programme
- Forth Valley Community Grants
- Falkirk Health and Wellbeing Fund
- CVS Falkirk advice
- ASDA Foundation Cost of Living Grant
Community Choices Programme
Community Choices is the name of Falkirk’s participatory budgeting programme, run by Falkirk Council and Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, investing £3m in local communities.Through a public vote, participatory budgeting offers a democratic way for residents to have a direct say in how public money can be used to address their priorities and invest in local, community led projects.
Project submissions are open until Friday 2 December 2022, with grants available:
- Small Grant: up to £5,000 for projects that will make a real difference to the lives of people living in each ward; or
- Place-based Capital Grant: to support proposals that need a capital investment of more than £5,000 to build something new, improve an asset or purchase equipment.
Learn more on the Falkirk Council website.
NHS Forth Valley Community Grants Scheme
Grants of up to £500 are available from Forth Valley’s Health Promotion Service to support local organisations and community groups across to reduce health inequalities and improve mental health and wellbeing. Since June 2020, the scheme has provided funding and wider support, including PPE and hygiene products, to 132 organisations such as schools, nurseries, community groups and sports clubs.Learn more on NHS Forth Valley’s Health Promotion Service webpage
Falkirk Health Inequalities and Wellbeing Fund
Launched by Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership in 2022, the Health Inequalities and Wellbeing Fund helps organisations widen access to community-based services which target health and social inequalities or improve health and wellbeing.The funding pot is worth more than £772,00, available to third sector organisations, community groups, and statutory bodies. Funding is available for a two-year period, with projects eligible for a maximum of £25,000 per year.
Learn more on the Partnership’s news pages.
CVS Falkirk – help to find and apply for funding
Organisations and local groups can access advice from CVS Falkirk, the third sector interface for Falkirk and wider district area.CVS Falkirk supports the development of a vibrant local third sector – providing advice to charities, social enterprises, community, and voluntary groups
Use the CVS online grants portal to find funding opportunities and get in touch with the team for hints and tips when developing applications – including one-to-one surgery sessions.
For more information, visit the CVS Falkirk website.
ASDA Foundation – Cost of Living Grant
Asda’s charity, Asda Foundation, is offering a Cost of Living grant to community groups designed to support increased running costs between September 2022 and February 2023. Costs you can cover include rent increases and electricity cost rises.
How to apply: Each Asda superstore has a Community Champion, and their role is to support groups and projects within the community, as well as managing Asda Foundation grant applications. The Community Champion in your local superstore will support you in completing your application and will submit the application to the Foundation on your behalf.
For more information, please read the Cost of Living Grant Guidance.