The Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund is a joint R4GM and Suez initiative to support Greater Manchester community and voluntary sector groups. The fund helps to deliver projects aimed at reducing household waste, increasing recycling and encouraging reuse.
All of the money raised by our Renew shops goes towards the Community Fund. Every year, £220,000 is available for community and voluntary projects.
The fund will open again in 2024.
What kinds of projects are supported by the fund?
The fund aims to support projects which prevent, reuse, or recycle household waste, and also reduce contamination, promote sustainable use of waste and resources, and generate wider social benefits for the communities of Greater Manchester. We want to encourage and support innovative projects that are novel and involve a new and untried approach to tackling an issue in the key waste areas. Your project will need to focus on at least one of these areas.
Your project will need to focus on one or more of these priority waste streams:
How much funding will be available?
A total of £220,000 was available in 2022. There were two funding awards:
Council level award: This award is for projects that will benefit individual council areas within Greater Manchester – Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford (this excludes Wigan as they operate separate waste arrangements). A total of £180,000 of funding is available, maximum amount £10,000 per project.
Greater Manchester level award: This award is for projects that cover more than 1 council area or all 9 councils (excluding Wigan). A total of £40,000 of funding is available, maximum amount £20,000 per project.
Who can apply?
Applications are welcome from Community and Voluntary Sector organisations such as:
Applying organisations must be based in one or more of the following 9 Greater Manchester council areas; Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford (excluding Wigan).
When can I apply?
The Community Fund is now closed for 2023 and will open again in 2024.
How do I apply?
The Community Fund is part of the Greater Manchester Environment Fund (GMEF) which is an independent initiative aimed to provide more sustained investment in Greater Manchester’s natural capital. GMEF is a charitable vehicle managed by Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) and independent from the GMCA.
All applicants should read the Community Fund Guidance notes before they submit their application form.
Where can I find the application guidance notes?
You can download the application guidance notes here (PDF)
Who decides which projects are awarded funding?
The funding decisions will be made by a board of representatives from GMCA, SUEZ, and LWT.
If you have any questions, please contact LWT at gmenvfund@lancswt.org.uk
Hear from 2021’s projects on how their work is impacting their communities.
If you're recycling, you're already #InTheLoopGM No idea what we're talking about? Watch this 👇 pic.twitter.com/UIjowc3rgO
