Deadline: 18-May-2026
The Northamptonshire Community Foundation volunteering and health inequalities grant programme is a targeted funding initiative designed to strengthen community volunteering models that improve health outcomes and address local inequalities. It is managed by the Northamptonshire Community Foundation and supports Voluntary, Community, Faith-based and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations in piloting innovative approaches to volunteering within health and care settings.
Purpose and Core Objectives
The programme aims to improve health and wellbeing through community-driven volunteering initiatives. Its core objectives include increasing inclusivity in volunteering, addressing health inequalities using frameworks such as Core20Plus5, supporting sustainable volunteering models in health and care, improving outcomes for both service users and volunteers, and generating learning through data collection and evaluation.
Funding Details
Funding of between £7,500 and £10,000 is available for pilot projects. This funding is intended to support testing and development of new or adapted volunteering models that can improve health outcomes and potentially be scaled across wider communities.
Key Focus Areas
The programme prioritises initiatives that increase volunteer diversity, strengthen community-led health solutions, reduce health inequalities, test and scale innovative volunteering models, support vulnerable populations, and capture data and learning for continuous improvement. It also promotes sustainable volunteering practices within health and care environments.
Target Populations
The initiative focuses on groups most affected by health inequalities. These include people living in deprived communities, Global Majority communities, older adults, individuals with long-term or terminal conditions, people with severe mental illness or learning disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping, and those affected by substance misuse.
Eligible Organisations
Eligible applicants include small, locally based VCSE organisations such as charities, community groups, and social enterprises. Companies limited by guarantee with charitable aims are also eligible if they meet governance requirements. Social enterprises must have at least three non-related directors and cannot be controlled by a single individual.
Eligibility Requirements
Organisations must be based in Northamptonshire and have a written constitution that includes a regional dissolution clause. They must also have safeguarding policies for children and vulnerable adults, as well as equality, equity, and diversity policies. Organisations that do not meet these governance requirements are not eligible for funding.
How the Programme Works
Applicants design pilot volunteering projects rooted in community needs and lived experience. These projects are tested within health and care settings, with a strong emphasis on data collection, evaluation, and learning. Successful initiatives may be refined and scaled based on demonstrated impact and effectiveness.
Key Design Principles
Projects must be community-led, inclusive, and focused on real-world health inequalities. They should be grounded in lived experience, demonstrate innovation in volunteering models, and include clear mechanisms for monitoring outcomes and capturing evidence for learning and improvement.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications are assessed based on their potential to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities, and increase volunteer diversity. Additional criteria include innovation, sustainability, clarity of evaluation methods, alignment with regional health priorities, and ability to generate transferable learning.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common issues include weak alignment with health inequality priorities, lack of clear data collection methods, insufficient safeguarding or governance policies, and failure to demonstrate community involvement or lived experience. Applications without clear evaluation frameworks may also be less competitive.
Success Factors
Strong applications clearly define a health or wellbeing challenge, present an innovative volunteering solution, and demonstrate strong community engagement. Successful proposals also include robust evaluation plans, alignment with Core20Plus5 priorities, and a clear pathway for scaling or replicating the model.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Northamptonshire Community Foundation volunteering and health inequalities grant programme supports pilot volunteering projects that improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities in the UK.
- Grants range from £7,500 to £10,000 per project.
- Eligible applicants include small VCSE organisations, charities, community groups, and social enterprises.
- Projects must be based in Northamptonshire.
- Focus areas include health inequality reduction, volunteer diversity, and community-led health solutions.
- Target groups include deprived communities, older adults, and people with complex health needs.
- All projects must include data collection and evaluation for learning and improvement.
Conclusion
The Northamptonshire Community Foundation volunteering and health inequalities grant programme strengthens community health systems by funding innovative volunteering approaches that address inequality and improve wellbeing. Delivered by the Northamptonshire Community Foundation, it enables local organisations to test, evaluate, and scale impactful volunteering models rooted in community needs and lived experience.
For more information, visit Northamptonshire Community Foundation.
