Near Neighbours offers small grants to groups which want to bring people of different faiths and ethnic backgrounds together.
It is being launched in Wolverhampton next Monday (13 October, 2014) with a special event at The Workspace, All Saints Road, from 5pm, and community groups are invited to go along to find out more.
The Near Neighbours programme has opened its small grants fund, offering financial support to gather local people to make a positive and lasting impact in their communities.
Near Neighbours coordinator for the Black Country, Ruth Burgess, said: "Grants between £250 and £5,000 are available, providing seed capital for local groups and organisations who are working to bring together neighbours and to develop relationships across diverse faiths and ethnicities in order to improve their communities.
"Having previously worked in Bradford, Burnley, Oldham, Birmingham, Leicester and East London, the programme has now expanded to include Wolverhampton and the Black Country."
Applicants have to meet 3 criteria - creating association, friendship and neighbourliness, bringing together people from different ethnic and faith communities and transforming the local neighbourhood for good.
Councillor Elias Mattu, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities, said: "The Near Neighbours grant scheme has the potential to have a really positive impact on communities in Wolverhampton, and I'd encourage local groups and organisations to find out more about the scheme and how it may benefit them."
For more information about the Near Neighbours grant scheme, please visit Type=links;Linkid=4561;Title=Near Neighbours;Target=_blank;. For details of next week's launch event, please call Ruth Burgess on 01922 700952 or email ruth.burgess@tctogether.org.uk.
Near Neighbours is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government.
- released: Monday 6 October, 2014