Community Soup is a series of events where funding is offered by housing provider One Manchester and has helped 108 local projects receive £179,000 over the last three years. Applications are now open for the next round of funding where another £32,000 is on offer this September.
Projects across Manchester have received funding and support through the Community Soup programme, including Levenshulme based Early Essentials, who provide Moses basket hampers to the most vulnerable pregnant women across Greater Manchester. Another successful recipient is the Peter Quinn Friendship Group, who support those affected by dementia along with their family and carers.
The idea for Community Soup started in Detroit and has taken off around the world. Community groups and projects that make a difference in their neighbourhoods are invited to apply to pitch at one of four events across the city. Applications are then shortlisted and are judged on how well the project aligns with One Manchester’s vision, whether the project is sustainable and how well the project demonstrates social innovation.
After enjoying a bowl of soup at the events and listening to the project pitches, the audience of local residents vote for those they think should get the funding. To date, over 600 people in east and south Manchester have turned up to cast their vote on the matters important to them.
So far 266 applicants have been helped, and if they don’t win enough votes to be awarded funding, other types of support can be offered such as training, improving their structure or recruiting volunteers.in Detroit. We invite people and groups with creative ideas that will make a difference in their communities to pitch to local people at one of four events across the city. After enjoying a bowl of soup (or some equally lovely hot food) and listening to the pitches, the audience then vote for the projects they think should get the funding.
Nominations are now open and will close on Tuesday 4th September. Successful applicants can win up to £5,000 for their project. There are four Community Soup events taking place around east and south Manchester the week of the 17th September from 6.30pm to 8pm and they are free to attend.
Lesley Brereton, customer involvement manager at One Manchester, has seen the difference the funding money can make. She said: “Having worked with 266 individual projects with tailored support and funding, it’s clear how vital funding is for these groups to survive. One Manchester’s Community Soup has helped connect local people and projects that make an invaluable contribution to where they live and the lives of others. The decision on where the funding is awarded is in the hands of local people, which we think is really important.”
