Themes and key features
Ecominds has identified some themes and key features that projects should address and explain in their application, together with some funding priorities.
To be considered for funding your project must meet one or more of these three themes:
- Improve local environments, open spaces, and the countryside whilst making them more accessible and relevant to people's needs.
- Create a greater sense of community ownership of the local environment, with better collaboration between communities and the voluntary and statutory sector.
- Improve social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
Projects must also show that they will have the following key features:
- Involve people with direct experience of mental distress at all project levels.
- Deliver sustainable projects that enhance rural and urban environments.
- Encourage diversity and include marginalised and under-represented groups.
- Deliver a well-planned and well-managed viable project offering good value and a genuine need within the designated time frame.
- Help reduce the stigma and social exclusion of people with mental distress.
Ecominds expects to receive more applications than we have funding available to support so we may give priority to projects that address the following areas:
- Improve awareness of mental health.
- Help mental health service users contribute to and integrate into local communities.
- Lessen stigma and discrimination towards local marginalised groups.
- Improve mental health service user skills and employment prospects.
- Improve physical and mental wellbeing.
- Create a supportive environment for all participants.
- Bring together skills and talents of individuals, groups, and organisations.
- Create better community spaces and improved local environments.
- Support healthier and more environmentally sustainable lifestyles.
- Help local environments build sustainable local economies.
- Improve social networks and build community relationships.
- Increase volunteering or mentoring opportunities.
- Increase capacity and quality of services and community resources.