Call for Applications: GM Walking and Wheeling Fund 2026/27 (UK)

The GM Walking and Wheeling Fund Grants Programme provides grants to voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in Greater Manchester to encourage people to walk or wheel more regularly. Funding ranges from up to £2,000 for small organisations to up to £7,000 for medium-sized organisations, supporting community activities that improve physical activity, health and wellbeing.

What Is the GM Walking and Wheeling Fund?

The GM Walking and Wheeling Fund Grants Programme supports local VCSE organisations across Greater Manchester to deliver projects that encourage walking and wheeling.

The programme focuses particularly on reaching people who are less active or inactive and helping them make walking or wheeling part of their regular routines.

In this programme, wheeling includes travelling using a wheelchair, mobility aid or while pushing a pram.

The fund also aims to increase awareness of GM Walking and its resources promoting active travel, community participation and healthier lifestyles.

What Projects Can the Grant Support?

Funding can support practical community-based initiatives that encourage walking and wheeling, particularly during colder months.

Examples include:

Establishing or supporting walking and wheeling groups.
Encouraging regular community walking activities.
Working with schools to promote active travel.
Partnering with faith centres or workplaces.
Recruiting Walking and Wheeling Champions.
Training community members to become Walking and Wheeling Champions.
Activities that motivate less-active residents to participate.
Community engagement activities promoting the benefits of walking and wheeling.

Projects should demonstrate how they will encourage participation and contribute to community health and wellbeing.

How Much Funding Is Available?

The programme has two funding streams based on the applicant organisation’s annual turnover.

Small Grants

VCSE organisations with an annual turnover of less than £10,000 can apply for:

Up to £2,000.

Medium Grants

VCSE organisations with an annual turnover of more than £10,000 can apply for:

Up to £7,000.

The appropriate funding stream depends on the organisation’s annual turnover.

Who Is Eligible?

The fund is open to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations (VCSEs) based in Greater Manchester.

Eligible organisations should demonstrate that their proposed activities will encourage walking or wheeling within local communities.

The programme is particularly relevant to organisations working with:

Less-active or inactive residents.
Local community groups.
Schools and young people.
Faith communities.
Workplace communities.
People who use wheelchairs or mobility aids.
Families and parents using prams.

What Is Not Covered?

The programme specifically focuses on walking and wheeling.

Cycling activities are not included in this fund.

Applicants should therefore ensure that their project clearly connects its activities and outcomes to walking, wheeling, active travel and community wellbeing.

Why Does the Fund Matter?

Walking and wheeling can provide accessible ways for people to increase everyday physical activity and connect with their communities.

The fund can help local organisations overcome barriers to participation by creating supportive, community-led activities.

Its wider objectives include:

Increasing physical activity.
Supporting healthier lifestyles.
Improving community wellbeing.
Reaching people who are currently inactive.
Strengthening community connections.
Promoting active travel.
Building local leadership through Walking and Wheeling Champions.

How to Develop a Strong Project

Step 1: Identify a Local Need

Explain which community you want to reach and why additional support for walking or wheeling is needed.

Use local knowledge or available evidence to demonstrate the barriers to participation.

Step 2: Define Your Target Participants

Clearly identify the people your project will support.

For example, you could focus on people who are currently inactive, families, older residents, wheelchair users or a particular local community.

Step 3: Design Practical Activities

Develop activities that make walking or wheeling accessible and appealing.

Possible approaches include:

Regular group sessions.
Community-led walking routes.
Walking and Wheeling Champions.
Partnerships with schools or workplaces.
Community awareness activities.

Step 4: Set Measurable Outcomes

Explain what the project expects to achieve.

Potential measures could include:

Number of participants recruited.
Number of activities delivered.
Participant attendance.
Number of Walking and Wheeling Champions trained.
Changes in participants’ engagement with walking or wheeling.

Step 5: Prepare a Realistic Budget

Match the requested funding to clearly defined project activities.

For smaller organisations, ensure the request is appropriate for the up to £2,000 small-grant limit. Organisations with turnover above £10,000 should consider the up to £7,000 medium-grant stream.

Step 6: Demonstrate Community Impact

Show how the project will encourage sustained participation rather than simply delivering one-off activities.

Tips for Applicants

Focus on walking and wheeling: Keep the project clearly aligned with the fund’s purpose.
Prioritise less-active people: Explain how you will reach people who currently do little physical activity.
Build local partnerships: Working with schools, faith centres, workplaces or community groups can increase reach.
Use community champions: Trained local champions can help motivate participants and sustain activities.
Keep activities accessible: Consider the needs of wheelchair users, mobility-aid users and families with prams.
Measure participation: Set simple, realistic indicators to demonstrate results.
Avoid cycling-focused proposals: Cycling is outside the scope of this particular fund.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid:

Proposing projects primarily focused on cycling.
Failing to demonstrate that the organisation is based in Greater Manchester.
Designing activities without identifying a clear local need.
Focusing only on general health promotion without a walking or wheeling component.
Providing unclear or unrealistic project outcomes.
Failing to identify the intended beneficiaries.
Requesting funding without explaining how the money will directly support project delivery.

Key Programme Details

Programme: GM Walking and Wheeling Fund Grants Programme
Location: Greater Manchester, UK
Applicant type: VCSE organisations
Small grant: Up to £2,000
Small-grant eligibility: Annual turnover below £10,000
Medium grant: Up to £7,000
Medium-grant eligibility: Annual turnover above £10,000
Main focus: Walking and wheeling
Priority: Less-active and inactive people
Examples of activities: Walking groups, active-travel partnerships and Walking and Wheeling Champions
Cycling: Not eligible under this fund

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the GM Walking and Wheeling Fund?

It is a grant programme supporting Greater Manchester VCSE organisations to deliver projects that encourage people to walk or wheel more often and improve community health and wellbeing.

How much can small VCSE organisations receive?

Organisations with an annual turnover of less than £10,000 can apply for up to £2,000.

How much can medium-sized VCSE organisations receive?

Organisations with an annual turnover above £10,000 can apply for up to £7,000.

Who can apply?

The programme is open to voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations based in Greater Manchester.

What does wheeling mean under this programme?

Wheeling refers to using a wheelchair or mobility aid, or pushing a pram as part of active travel and community movement.

Can the grant fund cycling projects?

No. Cycling activities are not included in the GM Walking and Wheeling Fund.

What types of projects are suitable?

Suitable projects can include walking and wheeling groups, partnerships with schools, faith centres or workplaces, and recruitment or training of Walking and Wheeling Champions to encourage community participation.

Conclusion

The GM Walking and Wheeling Fund Grants Programme offers targeted financial support for Greater Manchester VCSE organisations seeking to increase participation in walking and wheeling. With grants of up to £2,000 or £7,000 depending on organisational turnover, the fund provides an opportunity to develop accessible, community-led activities that encourage physical activity, strengthen connections and improve local wellbeing.