Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund for Adults

Deadline: 15-Dec-2024

The Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action has launched the Communities Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund for Adults which focus on prevention and early intervention and aims to support grass roots community groups in tackling mental health inequalities and address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention and tackling poverty and inequality.

Aim

The fund aims to support community-based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing and/or mitigate and protect against the impact of distress and mental ill health within the adult population (aged 16 or over), with a particular focus on prevention and early intervention.
Tackle mental health inequalities through supporting a range of ‘at risk’ groups.
Address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention and poverty and inequality with a particular emphasis on responding to the cost-of-living crisis and support to those facing socioeconomic disadvantage.
Support small ‘grass roots’ community groups and organisations to deliver such activities.
Provide opportunities for people to connect with each other, build trusted relationships and revitalise communities.
At risk is defined as:
- Women particularly women experiencing gender-based violence
- People with a long-term health condition or disability
- People from a Minority Ethnic background
- Refugees and those with no recourse to public funds
- People facing socio-economic disadvantage
- People experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage
- People with diagnosed mental illness
- People affected by psychological trauma (including adverse childhood experiences)
- People who have experienced bereavement or loss
- People disadvantaged by geographical location (particularly remote and rural areas) Older people (aged 50 and above)
- People with neurological conditions or learning disabilities, and from neurodiverse communities
- LGBTI communities

Funding Information

There are two types of funding:
- Level 1 – grants of up to £7,500
- Level 2 – grants of between £7,501 and £25,000

Outcomes

The intended outcomes of the Fund remain the same as in Years 1, 2 and 3, and are to:
- Develop a culture of mental wellbeing and prevention within local communities with improved awareness of how they can all stay well and help them and others.
- Foster a strategic and preventative approach to improving community mental health.
- Support the resilience of communities and investing in their capacity to develop their own solutions, including through strong local partnerships.
- Tackle the social determinants of mental health by targeting resources and collaborating with other initiatives to tackle poverty and inequality.

Eligibility Criteria

They highly encourage applications from organisations and/or groups completely new to the fund and joint applications (new or existing) from those collaboratively working together to address the aims of the fund, particularly around equalities and inclusion, within their communities.
Please ensure you meet the following criteria:
- Meet at least one of the outcomes
  - Reducing social isolation and loneliness
  - Enhancing suicide prevention
  - Addressing mental health inequalities
  - Building local community resilience
- The people who will benefit from your activity are adults (16+) who live in Dundee
- You are not duplicating services in your area
- Have a fully completed form with any relevant accompanying documents
- You have an income of less than £1 Million

Ineligibility Criteria

The following types of activities are not eligible for the Fund:
- Contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
- Electricity generation and feed-in tariff payment
- Political or religious campaigning
- Profit-making/fundraising activities
- VAT you can reclaim
- Statutory activities
- Overseas travel
- Alcohol

For more information, visit Dundee Volunteer and Voluntary Action.