A series of grants to support a range of initiatives across Eden have been approved at the latest meeting of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Eden Locality Board.
At a recent meeting of the Board (16 April), members agreed an allocation of £55,000 to the Community Grant programme which aims to support a range of community-based projects and initiatives, and £31,148 to the 0-19 Youth Grant programme which focuses on financial support to projects that enrich the lives of children and young people living in the area.
Last year, the Board collaborated with local partners to establish eight Place Action Groups. These forums are designed to bring together a diverse range of local stakeholders - including town and parish councils, the third sector, commercial partners, as well as members and officers from Westmorland and Furness Council - to identify local priorities and work collectively to address them. In support of these efforts, the Board awarded £48,000 last year, which funded 20 local initiatives. This year, the Board reaffirmed its commitment by increasing the total award to £56,000, allocating £7,000 to each group.
The Locality Board uses its budgets to enable projects that the Board hopes will make a difference locally and which support its priorities:
- To ensure that Eden is a great area to grow up where children are happy healthy and have opportunities to reach their full potential.
- To better connect our places by maintaining and developing our networks, infrastructure links and modes of travel.
- To empower our communities to thrive by supporting a strength and asset-based approach to healthy lifestyles and wellbeing.
- To consider the challenge of climate change and biodiversity in everything the Board does.
Councillor Lorna Baker, Chair of Eden Locality Board, said:
“As a Locality Board, we feel it is important to use the funding we have available to support and develop our communities across Eden. I would like to encourage groups across Eden to contact the Community Development Team to discuss any projects they are working on that may be eligible for funding. We want the communities to tell us about the projects that are important to them, rather than us imposing ideas.
“I am also pleased that the Board has increased the funding award to our Place Action Groups. These new forums have already begun to assist with very local projects and are a good example of Eden leading the way in community powered working.”
Applications for the Community Grants, and 0-19 Youth Grants are now open, and deadlines for 2025/26 are as follows:
Community Grants
- Monday 5 May 2025
- Monday 4 August 2025
- Monday 27 October 2025
- Monday 15 December 2025
0-19 Youth Grants
- Monday 12 May 2025
- Monday 11 August 2025
- Monday 3 November 2025
- Thursday 18 December 2025
For more information and an application pack, please contact the Eden Community Development Team by emailing Eden.AreaSupport@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.
ENDS