New grants available along rail line upgrade route

The Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO) are inviting applications for grants from community groups in Tameside.

£175,000 is available along the 70-mile Transpennine Route Upgrade corridor from Manchester to York, split equally between small and medium-sized awards. 

To qualify for access, bodies must be not-for-profit community projects, with a particular emphasis on northern jobs, enhancing the environment, local area investment and satisfying customers at railway stations. 

GMCVO expect that funds will help between 17 and 22 smaller projects, which can apply for grants of up to £5,000.  

The application process lasts for six weeks from Monday, August 5. 

The medium-sized grants will assist 4 and 6 groups, with a six-week application period beginning on Monday, August 19. 

“Both the small and medium grants funding can be used to cover many costs within the organisation, such as staff time, equipment, room hire, materials, etc,” said a spokesperson for the GMCVO.  

“However, we would expect that this is good value for money and that the costs are a direct relation to your project as described in the application.” 

Priority will be given to projects that improve or encourage the use of public spaces, particularly within areas of high deprivation, in under-represented communities, and where public transport is lacking. 

There will also be two online information sessions on Wednesday, July 31 and Thursday, August 15. 

The Transpennine Route Upgrade is a multi-billion-pound scheme that aims to speed up train travel times and reliability between the major cities in the north of England.