York Trailblazers Community Grants 2023 - get your application in before 11 August

Its not too late for York-based charities, community groups and VSCE organisations to apply for the 2023 York Trailblazers community grants, with an overall fund of £30,000 available.

Applications close at 12pm on Friday 11 August. The grants are available for projects running anytime between September 2023 and 27 September 2024. 

In a collaboration between York Civic Trust and Make It York, with funding made available through the National Heritage Lottery Fund, organisations are being invited to apply to grants up to £3,000. These projects will contribute to the overall aims of the York Trailblazers project, which celebrates York’s heritage, and uncovers lesser-known heritage stories of York – through community workshops, a large-scale sculpture trail, community grant funding, partner events and marketing. 

Organisations can apply for community grant funding for projects, events or initiatives that celebrate York’s history and heritage, uncover lesser-known heritage stories of York, enable community activity, to reduce resident isolation and support wellbeing, and which work with people affected by isolation/loneliness, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, minority and protected groups. 

The grants programme aligns with the York Culture Strategy, which commits to ensuring that culture is accessible to everyone, and which supports people’s health and wellbeing through meaningful engagement with arts and heritage.  

Helen Apsey, Head of Culture and Wellbeing at Make It York said: “We’re delighted to be able to fund community initiatives that celebrate York’s history and heritage, while also supporting people’s wellbeing, through the Trailblazers Community Grants. We’re looking forward to receiving people's applications and seeing how the projects we fund will together help to create a really exciting programme for York Trailblazers throughout 2023 and 2024.”  

Apply for a grant: 

The grants programme opened on Monday 17 July, and is open for a four-week period, closing at 12pm on Friday 11 August 2023. Applications must be submitted by this time to be considered. 

The grant information, criteria for applications and the application form (an online form) will all be available on the Make It York website from 17 July here - https://www.makeityork.com/events/york-trailblazers/grants/. If you are unable to access the online form, and would prefer a printed copy instead, please email culture@makeityork.com and we will ensure you can pick up a printed copy instead.   

Applications will be assessed and award decisions made by Friday 25 August 2023.   

If you have any queries, please email culture@makeityork.com  

Grant workshops:  

We will hold two workshops on zoom that any prospective grantees are free to attend, to explain the grants process, key things that prospective grantees must demonstrate in their applications, and to answer any questions that applicants might have. Workshops will take place on the 20th July and 3rd August. You can register for the workshops here - York Trailblazers (makeityork.com)