Supporting warm hubs and warm spaces across our communities

Across our region, many small community organisations work tirelessly to provide warm, safe and welcoming spaces for local people during the winter months. These groups are often volunteer-led and operate on very small budgets, yet they play an essential role in supporting community wellbeing, reducing isolation and helping people stay warm.

Our Small Grants Programme has been created to help these organisations strengthen their services, meet growing demand, and continue delivering the support their communities rely on.

Overcoming Barriers - Small grants Programme

 

Warm Spaces Support Fund

The programme offers flexible grants of £250 to £1,000 to eligible organisations with an annual income of under £50,000.

Funding can be used to maintain, enhance or expand existing warm hub or warm space activities, helping organisations continue providing safe and welcoming places for people during the colder months.

The Fund is available across Northern Powergrid's operating area but is specifically targeted at communities experiencing higher levels of deprivation.

What we fund

The programme takes a flexible, needs-led approach.

Applicants are encouraged to request support for the items, equipment or resources that will make the biggest difference to their warm hub or warm space. We welcome a wide range of requests, provided they directly benefit local people and align with the aims of the programme.

Examples may include:

  • Equipment and furnishings
  • Kitchen or refreshment supplies
  • Activity materials
  • Volunteer expenses
  • Marketing and promotion
  • Minor improvements to enhance the warm space experience

If any single item in the application costs more than £300, we ask for a quote or website link as evidence of cost.

Who can apply?

Applications for the Warm Spaces Support Fund are currently paused while we review the outcomes and impact of the pilot programme. This review will help inform future funding opportunities and ensure the fund delivers the greatest possible benefit to communities. Please check back for further updates.

To be eligible, organisations must:

  • Be a registered charity, CIC, CIO or constituted voluntary organisation.
  • Operate within Northern Powergrid's operating area.
  • Have an annual income below £50,000.
  • Have been active for at least 12 months and produced a first set of accounts.
  • Deliver their warm hub or warm space primarily from a location within the 30% most deprived areas in England, according to the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). This equates to IMD Deciles 1, 2 or 3.
  • Run an established warm hub or warm space offering: 
    • At least one session per week during the winter months.
    • A warm, safe place to sit.
    • Access to a hot drink.
    • Evidence that the service is promoted (for example through social media, posters, leaflets or a website).

Organisations do not need to be registered with the Warm Welcome Network to apply.

Application process

Applications for the Warm Spaces Support Fund are currently paused while we review the outcomes and impact of the pilot programme. This review will help inform future funding opportunities and ensure the fund delivers the greatest possible benefit to communities. Please check back for further updates..

Assessment process

  • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
  • Trustees will make the final funding decisions.
  • Successful applicants will be asked to sign an offer letter.
  • Funding will be released once the signed offer letter has been returned.

How applications will be prioritised

  • As this is a limited pilot programme, we may receive more eligible applications than we can fund.
  • Where this happens, trustees may take the following factors into account when making decisions:
  • The organisation's annual income.
  • The frequency of warm hub or warm space sessions.
  • The extent to which the project supports people in areas of high deprivation.
  • The overall demand for the service within the local community.
  • Priority may be given to organisations with lower annual incomes and those delivering warm space sessions more frequently.

Organisations do not need to be registered with the Warm Welcome Network to apply.

Our ambition

By supporting small organisations that make a big impact, the Small Grants Programme helps strengthen community resilience, reduce barriers to support, and ensure more people across our region have access to warm, welcoming spaces this winter.