Expression of interest for Chelmsford Health Inequalities Grant

Health inequalities refer to preventable differences in the health of different groups, such as differences in life expectancy or the onset of preventable diseases. These differences are influenced by factors like behaviour, access to services, social deprivation, employment, education and social support.

We want the Health Inequalities Grant to support local groups that help people and communities to improve their health. This targeted funding focuses on strengthening and expanding existing projects, prioritising those that address the needs of people most affected by health inequalities across the Chelmsford district.

Our strategic priorities have helped shape the aims of this project. You can find more details of these in the Chelmsford Health and Wellbeing Plan, the Thriving Places Index (TPI) framework, and the government’s UKSPF fund parameters.

These frameworks help us target the interconnected causes of poor health, ensuring our funding supports projects that promote lasting wellbeing for the community.

The overarching aim of this grant is to support and strengthen existing projects in Chelmsford.

We aim to reduce health inequalities and improve the community’s health across the following key areas:

• healthy weight
• access to services (including transport)
• community and community cohesion
• enhancing the quality of life for people living with long-term conditions
• mental health and wellbeing
• fuel poverty
• employability (including personal development, employability skills, digital skills, life skills)

You can apply for a grant for between £2,500 and £15,000.

Eligible organisations

You can apply if you are an organisation that serves communities within Chelmsford and is one of the following:

• a private organisation such as a limited company, LLP or partnership
• a voluntary and community organisation
• a registered charity
• a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee
• a community interest company (CIC)
• a school
• a statutory body (including NHS Integrated Care Systems, local authorities, town, parish, or community council)
• a community benefit society
• a co-operative society, as long as you have a not-for-profit 'asset lock' clause in your society rules and are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority
• a consortium of organisations led by an eligible organisation, as long as you have a partnership agreement in place
• a sports club/group and physical activity providers
• voluntary organisation
• registered charity

Eligible projects

You can only apply for funding to meet revenue costs. Revenue costs may include:

• training, including participant costs
• resources
• marketing and publicity costs
• staffing or volunteering costs
• contractors or consultants procured to deliver project activities
• venue hire
• project start-up costs
• transport
• purchasing small items of equipment or material items (usually under £1,000)

You cannot use the money to pay for:

• anything that has already been ordered, contractually committed or paid for
• lobbying, entertaining, petitioning or challenging decisions
• payments for activities of a party political or exclusively religious nature
• VAT reclaimable from HMRC
• gifts, or payments for gifts or donations
• statutory fines, criminal fines or penalties
• works or activities that the lead local authority, project deliverer, end beneficiary, or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake, or that are fully funded by other sources
• contingencies and contingent liabilities
• dividends
• bad debts, costs resulting from the deferral of payments to creditors, or winding up a company
• expenses in respect of litigation, unfair dismissal or other compensation
• costs incurred by individuals in setting up and contributing towards private pension schemes

All funding is subject to the government’s subsidy control regime.

If you are interested, you need to complete our online expression of interest form to describe your project ideas.

Before you apply, you should read our:

• funding guidelines
• frequently asked questions

Apply now

As part of your application, you will need to provide:

• an outline of what your project will involve
• details of any anticipated outputs and outcomes that your project will achieve
• an outline budget or your project

The deadline to submit your expression of interest is 12pm on Monday 9 December 2024.

After the closing date, we will assess all applications. We will notify you as soon as we have decided to approve or decline your application..

If your project is successful, the organisation needs to enter into a formal agreement that covers:

• funding
• outputs and outcomes
• evidence requirements
• other conditions around publicity, branding, procurement of goods and services and other matters

If you have any questions about Chelmsford’s UKSPF, you can contact the Public Health Team at publichealth@chelmsford.gov.uk.