In Staffordshire, we want every child and young person to have good emotional health and wellbeing and be supported in strong and resilient communities. Around one in four children in Staffordshire aged 11-12 have an emotional wellbeing issue, and around one in five young people aged 11-16 years old have a probable, diagnosable, mental condition.
The Council will provide small grants to VCSE organisations in Staffordshire for projects that assist with improving emotional health and wellbeing of young people aged 11-19 years (up to 25 years with SEND or EHCP).
Aims of the Fund
The purpose of the small grants scheme is to support the sustainability and growth of the VCSE sector in order for it to contribute to improving emotional health and wellbeing outcomes of Staffordshire’s young people. It will enhance local capacity, support co-produced solutions, build on existing community assets and use local insights to respond to the needs of Staffordshire’s young people.
The priority aims of this programme are:
- To help maintain and improve emotional health and wellbeing in young people.
- To contribute towards the prevention and escalation of emotional health and wellbeing needs in young people, recognising where more support might be needed.
- To provide a strengths-based approach that focuses on developing young people’s resilience, self-worth, positive relationships and self-care.
- Builds skills, knowledge and confidence of young people around self-help or in finding help with emotional health and wellbeing.
Activities should focus on ‘getting advice’ and ‘getting help’ areas of the nationally recognised iThrive framework for children’s mental health, with emphasis on equity of access for young people who need support.
Applications are encouraged from both youth‑focused organisations and wider community groups (such as allotment groups, residents’ associations or hobby clubs), where proposed projects offer inclusive, imaginative or innovative ways to strengthen young people’s emotional wellbeing.
Eligible costs
- Proportionate core costs
- Equipment Costs
- Small items of equipment
- Training Costs
- Revenue Costs
- Project Costs
- Event Costs
Grants Available
You can apply for a grant of up to £5000
Project Duration
- Year 1 – Activities will need to be delivered by 31st March 2027 with final reporting due end April 2027
- Year 2 – Activities will need to be delivered by 31st March 2028 with final reporting due end April 2028
Submission Dates
Year 1
Application window will close 5th August 2026, for a panel towards the end of August. You will be notified ASAP, but please be aware that this will be a shorter delivery window, with projects fully delivered by the end of March 2027