Heart of England Community Foundation has announced it has distributed 388 grants totalling £11.8 million through its Inclusive Communities Fund, which was established to empower communities to tackle local challenges.
Inspired by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the fund supports community-based organisations, offering them access to new opportunities and legacy funding from the Games.
The figures mean that Heart of England Community Foundation has completed what would ordinarily be approximately four years’ worth of grant making in just seven months, making this fund the largest programme it has ever delivered.
The Foundation has worked diligently to meet the overwhelming demand, processing more than 1,300 applications totalling over £71 million.
The Inclusive Communities Fund is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund, which is using the underspend from the Games to ensure the positive legacy is felt right across the region and for many years to come.
Heart of England Community Foundation is the administrator of the Inclusive Communities Fund across the region.
Reflecting on the success of the programme so far, Tina Costello OBE, chief executive of Heart of England Community Foundation said: "I feel so fortunate to have chaired the majority of the community grant panels, meeting new people with fantastic knowledge and experience of our region, and reading all of the wonderful applications we received.
"It’s exciting to see the development of local projects working with people in every part of the region.
“The range of activities is simply incredible, and I am so proud of everyone involved in helping us to deliver this funding to frontline organisations.
“The diversity of the organisations and projects we have funded will drive change and create real impact—a fantastic legacy from the Commonwealth Games. I’m really looking forward to seeing this impact come to life in the coming months.”
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, added: “The Inclusive Communities Fund will touch the lives of many thousands of people right across the West Midlands.
“It is already providing valuable and in some cases life changing opportunities to take part in organised sport and community activities, improve local facilities, to learn important new life skills, and to get involved with arts and culture.
“As Mayor, I want everyone to have the same opportunity to thrive. This fund and the wider Commonwealth Games legacy programme is putting money directly into the hands of these communities to help deliver their own solutions to important issues like health inequalities, social isolation and inactivity.
“These are the changes that are needed to create brighter futures for generations to come.”
Click here for a full list of groups that has been awarded funding.
