Organisations in Medway helping residents with debt, money, food and health issues can apply for grants of up to £15,000 under a new £500,000 scheme launched by Medway Council to improve financial wellbeing and help people avoid, manage and recover from financial crises.
The fund, launched by Medway Council, is aimed at projects that help residents improve their financial wellbeing and avoid, manage and recover from financial crises. Applications close on 22 November, and voluntary, community, social enterprise and faith organisations must sign up to Medway Voluntary Action's Social Impact Gateway to apply.
Council leader Vince Maple said the funding was "critically important" during the cost-of-living crisis. "Some of the key things that we're looking at through these grants are support for carers, food support, tackling health inequalities, support for residents over pension age, and financial resilience and debt resolution," he said.
The grant scheme is part of the council's Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which is funded by the government. The Chatham Community Supermarket, which opened this month, was funded by the CRF. In its first week, more than 1,200 people shopped at the low-cost supermarket and almost 2.8 tonnes of food was saved from being thrown away, the council said.
Jack Packman, chief executive of Medway Voluntary Action, which is managing applications to the scheme, said Medway had a strong volunteer sector and it was hoped the grants would bring about "lasting positive change".
Projects funded by the grants scheme should aim to help people become more financially independent, rather than providing emergency support. "Building financial resilience is about more than responding to immediate hardship; it's about helping people develop the confidence, skills and support networks they need to navigate future challenges," Packman said.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The scheme directs government funding into local services that help residents avoid, manage and recover from financial crises during the cost-of-living crisis.
- It prioritises financial independence over emergency relief, an approach focused on long-term resilience.
- Early demand is visible: more than 1,200 people used the CRF-funded Chatham Community Supermarket in its first week.
Background
Medway Council administers the Medway area of Kent in the south-east of England. The new grants sit within the council's Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), a government-funded pot that has already backed the Chatham Community Supermarket, a low-cost store that opened this month. Across the UK, councils have used government funding in recent years to support community organisations helping households squeezed by rising living costs.
Key Perspectives
Vince Maple (Medway Council leader): says the funding is "critically important" during the cost-of-living crisis, with priorities including support for carers, food support, tackling health inequalities, support for residents over pension age, and financial resilience and debt resolution.
Jack Packman (chief executive, Medway Voluntary Action): says Medway has a strong volunteer sector and hopes the grants will bring about "lasting positive change". He says building financial resilience is about more than responding to immediate hardship, and about helping people develop the confidence, skills and support networks they need to navigate future challenges.
What to Watch
- Whether enough organisations apply before the 22 November deadline.
- Uptake at the Chatham Community Supermarket as an indicator of demand for financial support in the area.
- Whether the government-funded Crisis and Resilience Fund backs further projects in Medway.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMedway Council launched a £500,000 grant fund for groups helping with debt and money.BBC News: “Organisations helping people with debt, money, food and health-related issues can apply for grants of up to £15,000 under a new £500,000 scheme in Medway.”
- SupportedThe scheme offers grants of up to £15,000 to voluntary, community and faith organisations.BBC News: “Grants of up to £15,000 are available under the scheme”
- Partly supportedOrganisations in Medway helping residents with debt, money, food and health issues can apply.BBC News: “Organisations helping people with debt, money, food and health-related issues can apply for grants of up to £15,000 under a new £500,000 scheme in Medway.”
- SupportedThe fund aims to improve residents’ financial wellbeing and help them avoid, manage and recover from financial crises.BBC News: “The fund, launched by Medway Council, is aimed at projects that help residents improve their financial wellbeing and avoid, manage and recover from financial crises.”
- SupportedApplications close on 22 November, and applicants must sign up to Medway Voluntary Action’s Social Impact Gateway.BBC News: “Voluntary, community, social enterprise and faith organisations must sign up to MVA's Social Impact Gateway, external to apply. Applications close on 22 November.”
- SupportedVince Maple called the funding “critically important” during the cost-of-living crisis.BBC News: “Council leader Vince Maple said the funding was "critically important" during the cost-of-living crisis.”
- SupportedMaple said the grants would look at support for carers, food support, health inequalities, residents over pension age, and financial resilience and debt resolution.BBC News: “Some of the key things that we're looking at through these grants are support for carers, food support, tackling health inequalities, support for residents over pension age, and financial resilience and debt resolution.”
- SupportedThe grant scheme is part of the government-funded Crisis and Resilience Fund, and the Chatham Community Supermarket was funded by it.BBC News: “The grant scheme is part of the council's Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which is funded by the government. The Chatham Community Supermarket , which opened this month, was funded by the CRF.”
- SupportedIn its first week, more than 1,200 people shopped at the Chatham Community Supermarket.BBC News: “In its first week, more than 1,200 people shopped at the low-cost supermarket, and almost 2.8 tonnes of food was saved from being thrown away, the council said.”
- SupportedAlmost 2.8 tonnes of food was saved from being thrown away in the supermarket’s first week, according to the council.BBC News: “In its first week, more than 1,200 people shopped at the low-cost supermarket, and almost 2.8 tonnes of food was saved from being thrown away, the council said.”
- SupportedJack Packman, chief executive of Medway Voluntary Action, said Medway had a strong volunteer sector and hoped the grants would bring “lasting positive change”.BBC News: “Jack Packman, chief executive of Medway Voluntary Action, which is managing applications to the scheme, said Medway had a strong volunteer sector and it was hoped the grants would bring about "lasting positive change".”
- SupportedGrant-funded projects should help people become more financially independent rather than provide emergency support; Packman said financial resilience involves confidence, skills and support networks for future challenges.BBC News: “Projects funded by the grants scheme should aim to help people to become more financially independent, rather than providing emergency support. Packman said: "Building financial resilience is about more than responding to immediate hardship; it's about helping people develop the confidence, skills and support networks they need to navigate future challenges."”