NECA: £1m Mayor’s Opportunity Fund to help North East grassroots community projects open for applications

Mayor Kim McGuinness launches the first round of the new Mayor's Opportunity Fund at VONNE annual conference.  

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness today, 28 November, launched a new £1million fund to support grassroots community projects delivered by  

charities and community organisations. 

The first round of funding worth £225,000 will deliver grants which support community cohesion, recognising the social pressures felt in every corner of the region. 

Kim McGuinness opened the Mayor's Opportunity Fund in a speech to the annual conference of Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE), a support body bringing together hundreds of charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises.  It is anticipated that applicants to the first round will be notified of the outcome by the end of February 2025.   

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “My job as mayor is to make the North East the home of real opportunity for people who live here, and my mission is to end the days where children in our region grow up in poverty. The means to do that exists in our communities, thanks to the work of grassroots charities and volunteers, who sacrifice so much to help others. But after 14 years of cuts people in the sector are exhausted and running on empty.  

“As Mayor I'm determined to rebuild our communities, and one part of this is to back those charities who bring people together, tackle poverty and create opportunity for others.  

“We will invest £1m over the next two years in projects that will make a difference in local streets, villages and towns all over the North East. And this is just a start, because we are also working to bring in more funding so the sector can thrive, and continue to offer support, hope and optimism to people all over the region.” 

Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland and Point North are partnering with the North East Combined Authority (North East CA) to run the first round of the Mayor's Opportunity Fund. 

Rob Williamson CEO at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland said: “We are excited to be partnering with the North East Combined Authority on this first round of the Mayor's Opportunity Fund. Alongside our colleagues at Point North we will bring our knowledge and funding expertise to work with Mayor Kim McGuiness so the Fund can effectively support organisations bringing communities together to make them more resilient.”  

Michelle Cooper, CEO at Point North said: “The Mayor's Opportunity Fund is exactly the kind of initiative we need more of here in the North East. Not only will it support organisations tackling poverty today, but it has an eye on the future - creating opportunities for people and places, so that anyone facing hardship in our region can look forward to a brighter tomorrow. We're delighted to work with Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland to ensure this fund makes a lasting difference to the people who need it the most.”  

Martin Brookes, Chief Executive of VONNE (Voluntary Organisations' Network North East) and Community and Voluntary Sector Member of the North East CA, said: “It's great that the Mayor's Opportunity Fund is being launched and recognises the work of charities and community groups. This is especially vital now because we need strong and resilient communities. Funding to support this locally is a key part of that and I am pleased that creating and launching this fund is one of the first actions taken by the North East Combined Authority and the Mayor.” 

The Fund support's North East's commitment to a fairer North East through creating opportunity. The aim is to create opportunities to ensure the North East is a cohesive, inclusive and resilient region where everyone thrives and has the opportunity to contribute to the region's success. 

Organisations seeking funding can find out more and apply by clicking this link to the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland website.  

Applications for this round close on Friday 17 January 2025.  

ENDS

About The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland  

The Community Foundation matches generous people with important community causes. Every year, the Foundation award grants to hundreds of small charities in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, and across North East England, through funds set up by a range of donors. The Newcastle-based charity, the UK's biggest Community Foundation, has built an endowment of over £95 million to build a portfolio of funds that tackles the vital issues in our community.  

About Point North  

Founded in 1995, Point North (previously called County Durham Community Foundation) works to fight poverty and enrich lives in County Durham, Darlington and the Tees Valley. By connecting people and businesses who want to make a difference with community groups and voluntary organisations looking for support. In its 29-year history it has raised and then granted funds of over £65 million. 

About VONNE 

Voluntary Organisations Network North East (VONNE) is the regional support body for the North East Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. We represent over 1400 member charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, networks and social enterprises from across the region, with further reach through our many networks.  

We work at a strategic level to represent the sector regionally and nationally; support the sector by facilitating partnerships and collaboration; and provide funding and capacity building information. 

Together our community of over 1,400 members enable us to create a collective voice to promote and advocate for the VCSE sector so that it's better understood, appreciated and supported. 

https://www.vonne.org.uk/