Elevate provides a unique opportunity for community organisations to put their collective learning on health inequalities into practice in a supportive and encouraging environment. One of the elements of Elevate is the Community Mentoring & Grants programme.

Groups who are successful in the Elevate Mentoring and Grants Programme receive:

Direct support for your group from a mentor organisation
Networking sessions, coming together with other Elevate mentee Groups
A grant of up to £5,000 to implement a community-based project following identification of local needs and solutions.

We continue to work with four organisations that demonstrate excellent community development practice and a solid commitment to tackling health inequalities, to deliver the mentoring on behalf of Elevate. These are Mid & East Antrim Agewell Partnership, County Down Rural Community Network, ARC Healthy Living Centre, and Supporting Communities. These mentors will each support groups by providing them with mentoring, supporting them to build their community development practice as a group, and networking sessions where groups have the chance to come together with other Elevate mentee groups. The networking sessions allow local organisations to make connections, build networks, share information and ideas and support each other in their work. Successful groups also receive a grant of up to £5000 to enable them to use a community development approach to deliver a project aimed at reducing health inequalities in their locality or for the target group they support.

You can find out about what difference Elevate made to previous mentee groups by looking at our Elevate Impact Stories and Videos here.

The Elevate Community Mentoring and Grants programme 2024/25, funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) is NOW OPEN.  The programme supports groups who could benefit from mentoring and funding (up to £5,000) to deliver a project which uses community development to tackle health inequalities. Information sessions are taking place throughout June, click to here to book a place.

The closing date for applications is  4:00pm on Monday 22nd July 2024.

This year, we will consider all applications, and particularly welcome applications from groups who are in local areas with previously low uptake (Lisburn and Castlereagh, Antrim and Newtownabbey, North Down & Ards, Faughan, Clogher Valley and Slieve Gullion), groups who support people from LGBTQIA+, BAME, and people with a physical and/or learning disability.

For guidance notes and to apply, please visit Community Mentoring & Grants Programme - Elevate NI