COMMUNITIES in the North East are invited to apply for a slice of £10million of lottery funding.
The Big Lottery Fund is investing the cash in a Community Living Sustainability programme to inspire people to adapt the way they live and work to reap financial, environmental and health rewards.
Applicants will be expected to plan a range of different sustainable activities, such as reducing waste, identifying alternative energy sources, growing local fresh food or improving energy efficiency.
The local plan could include a social enterprise scheme, ways of supporting communities at risk of flooding or other extreme weather, a refurbishment furniture project for people in need or education programmes for people in fuel poverty on how they can make their homes more efficient.
Big Lottery Fund Head of Region for the North East James Turner said: “We want to spark the imagination of local communities to make greener choices and most importantly, help vulnerable people to reduce their costs and improve their quality of life.
“This £10million investment aims to jump start a change in the behaviour of individuals and communities to think and act differently in their daily lives so that sustainable living becomes second nature.”
Thirty community partnerships are likely to receive funding of up to £10,000 to draw up detailed plans.
The best 10 proposals will receive up to £1million to deliver the ideas over five years.
Expressions of interest in the scheme should be submitted by noon on Tuesday, January 21.
For further details about the funding and how to apply, visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk