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Somerset Community Funding
Our men’s mental wellbeing project, Stepladder in Somerset, offers funding for groups and activities through our innovation fund.
Launched in September 2021, The Winston Innovation Fund is a pot of grant money administered and delivered by Stepladder to improve the wellbeing and mental health of men across Somerset and to help reduce the number of men who take their lives.
Grants up to £500 are available until April 2025.
Eligibility
Anyone that is proposing a project, event, activity, training programme or group that supports men’s wellbeing and mental health in Somerset can apply.
Read on for more information.
How the fund works
Anyone that is proposing a project, event, training programme or group that supports men’s wellbeing and mental health in Somerset can apply.
Funding will be available for:
- New initiatives in Somerset
- Proposals that support Men aged 18+ to improve their wellbeing and mental health
- For equipment, venue hire, volunteering costs, staff costs, transport or resources that support new projects
- Constituted voluntary, community and social enterprise groups
- Local groups or individuals who are not constituted, but have appropriate governance in place
- Proposals that support the wellbeing and mental health of at least five men.
Funding will not be available for:
- Projects that are outside of Somerset, including those projects that cross county boundaries
- To fund the existing costs of a current project
- Proposals that do not focus on male wellbeing (family projects may be considered)
- Proposals that do not start within one year of the grant being received.
Priority funding
The Innovation Fund is available to support any proposals that aim to improve men’s wellbeing and mental health but there are key priority areas which are given preference:
- Projects that address suicide prevention of men.
- Projects that address Isolation/Loneliness - particularly men who do not live with their children and those that live alone
- Projects that work in areas of deprivation. Areas of deprivation are defined as those in the lowest 20% according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), of which there are 25 within Somerset. There is information on this here.
- Projects that work with men that who need support for gambling addiction and recovery.
- Projects that address the mental health of men that live in rural areas including the farming community.
Application Process
Download the Application Form here. The criteria can be found here.
If you have any issues with completing the form or would prefer a paper version please email stepladdersomerset@second-step.co.uk
Grant applications will be reviewed and discussed with the Stepladder team and notification of outcome will be sent within 7 days of the application submission.
Checks will be made as part of the application process before funding is awarded.
What happens if you are successful?
Successful applicants will be required to work with us to agree their outcomes ready to go live at an agreed date. All grant money must be spent within 12 months of being received.
If appropriate, the Community Development Worker may request to meet the project to gain a richer understanding.
Evaluation
All successful applicants must complete an evaluation of the impact of the grant on improving the mental health and wellbeing of men in Somerset; how your project delivered on the outcomes; details of how the money was used and how many people benefitted from the project.
This is expected on completion of the delivery of the project or up to 12 months from the payment of the award, whichever is sooner.