Pride in Place Impact Fund: Shaping Birmingham’s Future Together - Call For Proposals

Overview

The Pride in Place Impact Fund was established by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government. It seeks to provide immediate support for visible improvements to high streets, public places and spaces of community value, building strong, resilient, prosperous, and inclusive communities.

Through the work of Shaping Birmingham’s Future Together, a partnership collaborative, a City Vision has been developed: for a city that has a thriving economy and tackles inequality, where all communities can enjoy greater opportunities and the wellbeing that brings. The City Vision for 2035 provides a framework for how organisations in the city can work together for the good of our citizens. Find out more here.

The Pride in Place Impact Fund is targeted on the four investment themes below:

1. Community spaces - Creating, extending, improving or refurbishing existing community facilities and enabling community organisations to take control of underused but valued local assets.
2. Public spaces - Enhancing the physical environment in public spaces, new or improved green spaces or public squares, improved outdoor play, sports/leisure spaces, street furniture, public art or wayfinding.
3. High Street & town centre revitalisation - Making more attractive and welcoming places where people congregate to encourage economic activity. Shop frontage improvements, adaptations that bring premises back into use, streetscape, and infrastructure for regular markets.
4. Investing in new or existing partnership structures seeking to coordinate local action and improve the liveability of neighbourhoods across Birmingham (for example, the development of Community Investment Districts or social enterprises).

• There is £1.5m capital and £150,000 revenue funding available; applications can include a mix of both revenue and capital.
  • Investment themes 1, 2 and 3 are for capital projects and may include an element of revenue funding. We anticipate investment stream 4 being mainly revenue based, although we do not discount this including minor capital costs.
  • The maximum amount of capital funding that may be applied for is £125,000. The larger the proposal budget, the higher expectations will be for delivery of outputs and outcomes.
  • Revenue funding is uncapped, with preference shown to proposals that deliver on investment themes one and four.
  • All funding must be spent and evidenced by the 31^st March 2027, please submit realistic budgets that can be spent within this timeline.

What We’re Looking For

We are inviting applications from community groups, charities, social enterprises, local businesses (or partnerships of these), and resident associations (or partnerships of these) that have a plan to invest in long term improvements to community buildings or spaces, public places or high street revitalisation, or to create or expand existing community partnership organisations or companies.

Proposals should:

• Tell us what problem you’re trying to solve.
• Tell us how you intend to deliver your project.
• Talk to your ward councillors (Councillors by Ward | Birmingham City Council) and/or Members of Parliament (Members of Parliament | Birmingham City Council ) (please note this is advisable but will not form part of the assessment criteria).
• Deliver measurable outputs aligned with Pride in Place Impact Fund.

Key Requirements

• Proposals must deliver and evidence at least one Impact Fund output and provide at least one measurement to show the impact of the proposal. 
• All Impact Fund funding must be spent, including monitoring and reporting, by 31^st March 2027. This deadline is non-negotiable.
• Proposals must follow Birmingham City Council’s procurement, spending, and monitoring rules (help will be provided to successful applicants).
• Branding and publicity requirements, including the use of official logos, are mandatory.

Applications received will be assessed by a panel of Council officers. All projects will be considered against their ability to deliver Impact Fund outputs and outcomes, the likelihood of completion by March 2027, value for money, the sustainability of the proposal once Impact Fund ceases, and the location where proposed work will be undertaken. The level of information provided for the application should be proportionate to the size and complexity of the project proposed.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this opportunity, the lead organisation must be formally constituted, with at least 3 directors/trustees and a bank account.

For further guidance and information please see the files in the “Related” section below.