Housing Association offers £265,000 match funding for community projects

Housing Association Sovereign Homes is offering charities and community groups up to £10,000 in match funding for their projects.

The scheme has been launched with online fundraising platform Crowdfunder and is available to charities and groups within three miles of the Association’s South and South West of England homes.

Eligible charities can apply for up to half of their fundraising target, up to a maximum of £10,000 through the housing association’s Thriving Communities Fund.

A total of £265,000 in match funding is being made available through the Fund.

The match funding scheme is looking to fund projects that improve people’s health and wellbeing, education as well as encourage social inclusion, community cohesion and support environmental sustainability.

Projects that encourage inclusivity are also eligible for funding.

Another focus is on supporting communities impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.

The housing association said it will give “consideration to any project which is providing advice, basic essentials, or a warm place to meet up”.

“This is our largest community fund to date, and we’re really excited to be investing in projects that directly benefit our customers and their communities,” said Sovereign’s community development officer Kate Sheppard.

“Our goal is to help create thriving and sustainable communities, where people love to live.”
Crowdfunder chief executive Rob Love added: “The Thriving Communities Fund is supporting projects that benefit Sovereign communities.

“We’ve seen a fantastic range of projects, from sports organisations to food banks, to climate projects and everything in between. Our partnership with Sovereign Housing Association allows these organisations to amplify their funding potential and help their communities thrive.”

Earlier this month Sovereign revealed that 13 youth organisations are sharing £110,000 in funding to promote social action. The funding has been made available by the housing association alongside the National Lottery Community Fund and government’s #iwill social and community action fund.