£2.8m fund for Barrow’s voluntary and community sector
Team Barrow has continued its commitment to supporting the local community by allocating £2.8million to help the town’s voluntary and community sector.
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The money, which is part of the £5m Social Impact Fund launched earlier in the year, will see £700,000 awarded annually for the next four years.
Known as the ‘Strategic Priorities Fund’, it has been co-designed by representatives from local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations.
The money will help and support those most in need, by providing greater financial stability and resilience in the town’s VCFSE sector.
The fund is now open and organisations are invited to apply. Proposals need to align with one or more of the following fund priorities:
- A focus on early intervention and/or prevention
- A focus on children, young people and families to address intergenerational challenges
- Help people towards and into work, training and volunteering
- Improving health and wellbeing
- Reducing deprivation and poverty
Carolyn Otley, Chief Executive of Cumbria CVS (Cumbria Council for Voluntary Service) and sponsor of Team Barrow’s Community and Social Impact workstream, said: “We’ve got many fantastic voluntary and community groups in Barrow, but we know they often struggle to find the funding to try out the new approaches that will really make a difference to local people, alongside continuing their existing work.
“Therefore we hope this new fund will generate some exciting project ideas, and that the money will help to build the long term sustainability of the groups that we’re able to support.”
The process has been designed to make it as simple as possible for organisations to apply. It starts with an initial expression of interest, from which successful applicants will be asked to complete a more detailed second stage application.
Support sessions to help develop initial expressions of interest will take place at The Bridge, in Portland Walk from 1.30pm – 2.30pm on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 September 2025.
The deadline to submit an expression of interest is by 12.00pm on Monday 20 October 2025.
Further information about the fund and how to apply is available on our Strategic Priorities Fund page.
Earlier this year, Team Barrow – a partnership involving central Government, Westmorland and Furness Council and BAE Systems – launched its £5m Social Impact Fund.
In March, it then awarded grants worth £650,000 to nine local charities, ranging from £50,000 to £100,000. In addition, Team Barrow has funded Cumbria Community Foundation to develop and launch the ‘People Helping People’ fund worth £85,000, which provides community groups and organisations access to smaller grants. For more information visit: www.cumbriafoundation.org
“We hope this new fund will generate some exciting project ideas, and that the money will help to build the long term sustainability of the groups that we’re able to support.”
