APPLICATIONS are now open for grants to support Oldham community groups.

The Ideas Fund scheme, run by the British Science Association (BSA) and funded by the Wellcome Trust, has launched its second round of grant funding to support up to seven new community initiatives in Oldham.

The Oldham groups will be able to use the funding to try out and develop ideas that address problems relating to mental wellbeing through collaborating with professional researchers.

In 2021, The Ideas Fund awarded 49 grants, totalling £1.8m, to its first projects, connecting communities with researchers to work together on mental wellbeing projects.

In Oldham 11 projects received funding, which totalled £376,243.

Projects that received funding in the borough included Mahdlo, Pennine Mencap, Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Oldham Athletic Community Trust, Oldham Libraries and Support and Action for Women’s Network – SAWN.

Paolo Arru, the Ideas Fund development coordinator for Oldham, said: “We’re thrilled for a second Ideas Fund round to be open in Oldham. It’s been amazing to see how the projects funded so far have brought researchers and members of the Oldham communities together in meaningful ways.”

For the latest round of funding, the BSA have reduced the time applicants need to spend on their submission.

The expression of interest for submissions is now open on the Ideas Fund website and the application deadline is midday on Wednesday, June 8 for both community groups and researchers.

The BSA are particularly interested in applications from those who are keen to work in partnership to develop the project collaboratively.

A series of webinars will be held on Zoom to give more information about the Ideas Fund and the submission process for organisations that are interested in applying for this next round of funding. 

Intro to The Ideas Fund and support with the Expression of Interest will be held from 2.10pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday, May 4 and Thursday, May 12 from 10.30am to 11.30am.

A Researcher Q&A Webinar will be held on Wednesday, May 18 at 3pm.

Following this, local sessions will also be led online and in Oldham. For details on the sessions email Paolo Arru: paolo.arru@mft.nhs.uk

To support applications a document has been created to provide more detailed information on the Ideas Fund website.