Community development and funding

One Manchester’s Community Fund priorities are to invest in projects which support One Manchester customers to access provision which will improve the quality of their lives. This year we have four key priorities for our funding:

• Health and wellbeing
• Young people
• Older people
• Families

One Manchester’s main community areas are Ardwick, Beswick, Clayton, Fallowfield, Gorton, Levenshulme, Longsight, Openshaw, Rusholme, Moss Side and Hulme.

We only fund projects that will be delivered in one or more of our community areas. The main One Manchester neighbourhood areas are Ardwick, Beswick, Clayton, Fallowfield, Gorton, Levenshulme, Longsight, Openshaw, Rusholme, Moss Side and Hulme. 

Constituted groups are registered charities or Community Interest Company (CIC), that have a governing document or constitution. This document outlines your organisation’s purpose, structure, and rules. Being constituted means that your group is properly organised, accountable, and legally recognised. Unfortunately we’re unable to accept applications from groups who aren’t constituted.

We’re looking to fund organisations that have a clear governance structure. Funding an organisation with a clear governance structure, shows us that the project will be managed by people with the right skills and experience. Strong governance means your organisation is accountable, transparent, and able to deliver the project effectively.

Documents we will ask for include your constitution, financial statements, and copies of important policies like insurance, safeguarding, and ED&I. These documents show us that your organisation is run responsibly and follows the law and other regulations.

If your application is successful, we’ll need to see that your organisation manages its finances properly. Your organisation should have its own bank account that is managed by a Treasurer, Director or other named person like an accountant.

We want to know as much about your organisation as possible, so we can understand who you are and what you do and what impact your work has. In your application please tell us about your organisation’s capacity, experience, and the impact your work has in the communities you deliver projects in. This information will enable us to see how well your project aligns with our funding priorities.

It’s really important to show us evidence that your project addresses a real issue or gap in provision in the community. You can use statistics, survey results, or feedback from people you work with now or plan to work with in the future to show why your project is necessary.

Try to give us a clear and complete description of your project. Explain what you plan to do, why it’s needed, who will benefit, and how you will deliver the project. Include lots of details about the activities, timelines, and the expected outcomes. This makes it easier for us to evaluate the project.

We want to hear about your successes, so include any relevant experience that shows how your organisation can deliver your proposed project well. Tell us about any current or past projects, partnerships, or relevant skills within your team.

In your application please tell us about the outcomes your project will deliver. Tell us who’ll benefit, how many people you expect to reach, and what short and long-term positive impacts you intend your project to have.

It’s really important to include a detailed budget for your project so we can see how you plan to spend the grant money. It should include everything your project will need money for like staffing, materials, overheads, and any other expenses. You can also include ‘in kind’ donations – so if your room hire has been gifted, include it in the table but with zero cost. A detailed budget shows us that you have thought carefully about the resources needed to deliver your project successfully.

If your project will involve partnerships or collaborations, make sure you tell us about it. Working with other organisations shows us that your project has support and is more likely to succeed. Working with other organisations can also increase your project's impact and show us that you have a network of support to help you deliver the project.

We’re delivering three ‘Meet the Funder’ workshops. These will go through how to write a strong application and give you the opportunity to ask questions. The sessions are taking place on the following days:

Online

When: Wednesday 10 September (10-11am)

Aquarius Centre

When: Thursday 11 September (11am-12pm) Where: Aquarius Centre, Hulme, (M15 6AX)

Gorton Hub

When: Friday 12 September (11am-12pm) Where: Gorton Hub, Gorton, (M18 8HE)

If English is not your primary language and you require support with the application, please request support via the application form.

The project must start between January - April 2026 and end before December 2026.

We will be assessing applications in October, and will aim to notify all applications of the outcome before the end of October – start of November.