Sector News

Voluntary and community sector offers ‘Five ways to build resilience’ in report aimed at turning lessons from last summer’s racist riots into action to protect communities in future.

The Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership and research and innovation organisation Neighbourly Lab release a new report highlighting five ways communities can bolster their resilience against riots, should they happen in future.

Expressions of interest are now open for We Lead for Legacy 2025, the Greater Manchester Civic Leadership Programme. This pioneering initiative is designed to empower leaders from racially marginalised backgrounds across Greater Manchester, equipping them with the skills, networks and confidence to thrive in civic and public leadership roles. 

Made by Mortals are launching a new free PDF resource on Monday 31st March, which they think it could benefit you and the people you support. Loneliness, isolation, and the feeling of being stuck keep bringing people back to healthcare services again and again without real change. Made by Mortals understand. And want to help.

The waitlist is now open for The Brilliant Club, a learning programme designed for social enterprises and freelance practitioners. Join to learn and apply the principles of Healing-Centred Design and nurture and elevate work and wellbeing. The Spring cohort can now join through the 'Together' or 'Solo' invite, offering a flexible approach to fit around your time and needs.

For many organisations, funding is a lead priority, and it can be tempting to immediately look for ways to access significant funds, quickly. But you can think flexibly about funding – by combining grant funding, or other fundraising activities, with easyfundraising. With free funds raised each time members of your community shop online, courtesy of the retailer shopped with, it can provide an ongoing income stream alongside short term fundraising activities or grants.

Here’s an overview of the flexibility that easyfundraising offers compared to grant funding.

Big Give, Global’s Make Some Noise, and NCVO are thrilled to announce the launch of their inaugural Small Charity Week match funding campaign. This seven-day online campaign, running from the 23 – 30 of June 2025, aims to support small charities across the UK, helping to build the resilience, skills and profile of the small charity sector while raising vital, unrestricted funding. You must be a registered charity to qualify for this initiative.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is returning to Manchester as a celebration of women’s empowerment, equality and contributions to the city at Manchester Central Library on Saturday 8 March.

Led and inspired by an already significant history of pioneering women, IWD 2025 is a chance for women across all generations and dedicated allies to come together in advancing women's rights in Manchester and around the world.  

The fund is providing grants for businesses and organisations working in Greater Manchester’s foundational economy – including the health and social care, early education and childcare, and the local high street (retail, hospitality, culture, leisure and tourism) sectors - to trial new ideas and become more resilient. Initial grants of up to £11,000 are available.

The Foundational Economy 
The foundational economy supplies the essential goods and services we all rely on for our daily needs.

Are you interested in becoming a vaccinations champion for older people?

The Greater Manchester Older People’s Network are working with the NHS to share information about vaccinations with people across Greater Manchester who can then share with their communities, groups and networks.

Viruses common in winter can make some people very unwell and result in serious problems that may need hospital care. The NHS offers free vaccines to those at greatest risk, so they can get the protection they need.

Carers Manchester South work to identity and support unpaid carers within the South of Manchester City Council. Carers Manchester South do outreach in the local community to try to reach as many unpaid carers as they can, some of whom may not identify or recognise themselves as an unpaid carer. Carers Manchester South  are able to support and signpost these carers to local services and to the contact point which is the first point of contact for carers in Manchester. For more information visit: www.carersmanchester.org.uk