Renfrewshire Voices Fund

The Renfrewshire Voices Fund supports organisations that are led by, represent, or work with equalities groups in Renfrewshire.

The fund helps organisations gather insight, evidence, and lived experience from communities whose voices are often underrepresented.

We want projects that improve understanding of the experiences, needs, and priorities of local equalities groups. The information gathered will help shape future services, policies, and support across Renfrewshire.

Examples of equalities groups include:

• disabled people
• ethnically diverse communities
• older people
• those within the LGBTQ+ community.

You can apply if you're a:

• constituted organisation (an organisation with a governing document, such as a constitution)
• charity
• voluntary organisation
• community group
• informal group.

If you're an informal group, you can still apply. However, if you're awarded funding, a constituted organisation with its own bank account must manage the grant on your behalf.

We also welcome proposals from national organisations, but the funding must be used towards activity focused on Renfrewshire residents.

You can use the funding for short-term projects that gather information, experiences and insight from equalities communities.

The fund can support project running costs such as:

• training and development, including research and community engagement skills
• access costs, including interpreters, translators, childcare accessibility, reasonable participation costs, and expenses 
• costs for hosting and facilitating activities and sessions, including venue hire, catering, or survey and consultation tools
• staff costs for carrying out the proposals in your application.

Examples of projects we could fund

Projects we may fund could include:

• exploring the experiences of LGBT+ people in Renfrewshire – through surveys, workshops or discussion groups, a project could gather insight on issues such as inclusion, mental wellbeing, safety, access to services or community connections, and share findings to inform council service developments
• understanding intersectional experiences of inequality – an organisation could work with groups such as disabled New Scots, LGBTQ+ carers, or ethnically diverse women could carry out targeted engagement to explore how aspects of identity shape people's experiences and identify opportunities to improve local support
• improving accessibility to employment for disabled residents – a project could work with disabled residents to identify barriers to accessing information, support, and opportunities around employability, and make recommendations for improving accessibility and communication
• understanding the experiences of local faith communities – a faith organisation could run focus groups, interviews, or conversations with community members to understand barriers to accessing local services and facilities, employment opportunities, or support networks, and produce a short report with key findings and recommendations.

What you cannot use the funding for

You cannot use the fund to cover the ongoing day-to-day costs of existing services or activities.

The fund is for one-off projects that gather insight and evidence.

How much you can apply for

You can apply for up to £4,000.

You should plan to spend the funding by June 2027.

If your project requires a longer delivery period, we'll consider an extension on a case-by-case basis.

Your proposal should:

• describe the specific project you would like to deliver
• the equalities group(s) you want to work with
• how you'll gather insight and evidence
• the difference the project will make
• the outputs you'll produce, such as reports, videos, events or presentations.

Your proposal should explain how it provides insight into at least 1 of our Equality Outcomes for 2025 to 2029, and/or provide insight into one of the equalities groups which we do not have local and up to date information on.

Equality Outcomes for 2025 to 2029:

• Outcome 1: New Scots and our ethnically and culturally diverse communities feel welcomed, supported, and have equity of opportunity to thrive in our communities. 
• Outcome 2: Disabled and older people experience improved access to public buildings, services, and transport, ensuring greater independence and participation in community life. 
• Outcome 3: Improved economic prospects for women, ethnic minority people and disabled people. 
• Outcome 4: All residents can access information and services in an inclusive and accessible manner. 
• Outcome 5: Our workforce better reflects the diversity of our community, in terms of ethnicity and disability. 
• Outcome 6: People with lived experience of inequality and exclusion will be more involved in informing and co-designing policy and practice that affects them. 

Equalities groups which we have gaps on local and up to date information on include:

• barriers experienced due to faith  
• the LGBT+ community 
• intersectional equalities communities, for example New Scots who are parents or disabled LGBT+ individuals
• barriers and experiences due to using BSL as a primary language.

Your proposal should also show how your project will:

• carry out and share research and insight on diverse communities in Renfrewshire, particularly on unmet needs, or 
• provide opportunities for local equalities communities to boost their voice and influence.

You should describe your expected outputs, for example in reports, videos, or events. 

Apply online using the Renfrewshire Voices Fund application form

If you need the application form in an alternative format (such as a paper copy) or support with your application you can contact Astrid Smallenbroek by:

• email astrid.smallenbroek@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone 0141 487 3212. 

If you are a British Sign Language User you can use the Contact Scotland-BSL app and ask the interpreter to dial 0141 487 3212.

We’ll email you to ask for:

• a copy of your constitution
• a recent bank statement
• a copy of your accounts (or income/expenditure statement).

Please have these ready so we can process applications quickly. 

If you have provided these files for previous form of funding, we may not need to ask for them again.

How we make decisions

A panel of staff from Renfrewshire Council, Engage Renfrewshire, and Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership will review your application. 

We’ll consider how well your application meets the Equality Outcomes, the gaps in local knowledge and evidence, and how it aligns with our services and priorities. 

We'll consider:

• how well your project meets the Equality Outcomes
• how it helps address gaps in local knowledge and evidence
• how you'll engage with the equalities group you want to work with
• how the project will improve understanding of local equalities communities
• how the project will increase involvement of people with lived experience in policy and service design.

The Leadership Board will make the final funding decisions.

We'll email you in late December 2026 to let you know whether your application has been successful.

We may contact you for further information about your project before making a decision.

Support for successful applicants

We can offer successful applicants support with:

• advice and guidance on survey tools, and consultation and engagement methods  
• the use of venues for research activity (such as hosting focus groups), where possible.

Conditions of the funding

If you’re awarded funding, you must accept and comply with our standard grant terms and conditions.

We’ll ask you to report on the impact of your project once it has finished. We’ll send you a feedback form to complete, and we may visit your project. 

Successful organisations must join the Diversity and Equality Alliance Renfrewshire (DEAR) network. This will give you opportunities to:

• share the work you’re delivering through the grant funding to highlight best practice
• build relationships with local public sector organisations, charities and community groups  
• engage with equalities-led organisations in areas of policy and practice development across the council and our partners.

As well as agreeing to our grant terms and conditions, organisations should follow the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First Guidance (Scottish Government website). 

The current guidance states that from 1 July 2023, all organisation receiving Public Sector Grants should be paying staff at least the Real Living Wage and providing effective channels for employee voice. 

Contact us

If you would like to discuss the priorities, application process, or other funding opportunities, you can contact us by:

• email astrid.smallenbroek@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• phone 0141 487 3212. 

If you are a British Sign Language User you can use the Contact Scotland-BSL app and ask the interpreter to dial 0141 487 3212.