Community development and funding
We're committed to supporting our communities to thrive.
Supporting our customers and communities
We’re committed to making a real difference in our neighbourhoods. and communities, whether it be through finding employment and skills opportunities, sharing money advice, or helping community groups access funding. We work with local organisations to boost social, environmental, and economic wellbeing, ensuring everyone has the chance to live well.
Community support for you
We can help anyone wanting to do more to support their local communities by providing you with support, advice, and resources to help you develop projects for the community's benefit.
This can take the form of:
- Advice, guidance, and access to training opportunities that can support your organisation's development
- Signposting and linking you to local businesses and suppliers looking to provide additional social value within our communities
- Supporting you to write strategic bids to secure funding that will benefit our neighborhoods and wider communities
Get in touch if you want to learn more or request this support

Community funding - One Manchester Community Fund
The One Manchester Community Fund supports local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations with grants of between £3,000 to £10,000. The One Manchester Community Fund was set up to support local community groups and projects that bring lasting benefits to our neighbourhoods. In 2024, we awarded £100,000 to 15 local groups delivering projects that support our customers and communities.
Our recent grant recipients
Our most recent grant recipients are doing fantastic work to support people in our local area. You can find out more about these organisations below. We’re looking forward to seeing how the organisations progress with their projects and we’ll keep you updated on their progress!
Our most recent grant recipients
Rusholme, Fallowfield and Moss Side Good Neighbours CIO
@Trinityhousecrc
Good Neighbours work to reduce isolation and loneliness in older (over 50s) or isolated people and adults with long term health conditions and disabilities. With the funding we’ve provided, they’ll be bringing in NHS mental health practitioners to hold a range of exercise and art sessions to support participants and help enhance their wellbeing.
UAchieve21, Moss Side social stitching group
@UAchieveManchester
UAchieve21 will use the funding to run sustainable sewing and arts and crafts sessions for children and young people to help improve their health and wellbeing.
Intergenerational England
@intergenerationalengland
Intergenerational England works to bring different generations together to bridge the generational divide. With the funding we’ve provided, they’ll run a project aimed at supporting our customers to engage in creative activities in a sociable setting.
Home–Start Manchester
@homestartmanchester
Home Start is a family support charity offering a range of support for struggling families. They’ll be using our funding to provide training and support for One Manchester customers to help them become Home-Start volunteers so they can help make a difference for other local people.
Sonder Radio
@sonderradiouk
Soner Radio promotes mental health and wellbeing through building radio skills. Their project will be all about inviting people to learn radio skills and in turn help them reduce social isolation and stay connected with one another.
Together Dementia Support
@togetherdementiasupport
Together Dementia Support run a range of social and support services across Manchester to help improve the wellbeing of people living with Dementia. With the funding we’ve provided, they’ll be able to recruit and train One Manchester customers to become volunteers to support their Dementia groups.
Yellow Beacon CIC
@yellowbeaconcic
Yellow Beacon CIC supports adults aged 18 and over with their mental health, by offering courses and workplace support. They’ll be using the funding to deliver an 8-week course that supports adults with improve their mental health, including those who have PTSD and might be neurodivergent.
Inspired Taskforce – Good Neighbours Ardwick and Longsight
@inspiredtaskforce
The Inspired Taskforce offers social support for the local community. The funding we’ve provided will go towards many activities that’ll support both physical and mental wellbeing of local people attending their sessions.
Smart Works Greater Manchester
@smartworksgm
Smart Works is a charity that supports women with their journey into employment, helping them find the perfect interview outfit, as well and supporting them to build skills and confidence to secure a job. With the Community Fund funding, they’ll work to support One Manchester customers in need into jobs.
Olympia’s Music Foundation
@olympiasmusic
Olympia’s Music Foundation believes that everyone should be given the opportunity to participate in music, and that’s exactly what they do. The funding we’ve provided will be used to deliver 470 free music lessons for local children as part of their Learn to Play programme.
TLC: Talk Listen Change
@tlccharity
Talk Listen Change is a local domestic abuse Charity, they deliver a range of support services. With the funding we’ve provided, they’ll be able to support One Manchester customers by providing 169 counselling sessions.
Bridging the Gap
@manc_south_central_foodbank
Bridging the Gap supports people in need by providing emergency food supplies as well as providing longer term support to help them overcome their financial hardships. The funding that we’ve provided will support additional food bank delivery services across Hulme and Moss Side.
Butterfly Future LTD
@butterflyfutureltd
Butterfly Future works to break down barriers through the use of music, arts, sports, and digital technology. With the funding we’ve provided, they’ll host adult walking and football clubs for our customers and local people.
Women’s Voices CIC
@womensvoicesmcr
Women’s Voices CIC offer training and activities to women, to help them learn and develop skills. The funding we’ve provided will be used to set up a new project aims at supporting women to learn to grow and transform an outdoor space.
The Big Life Group
@TheZionandKathLockeCentres
The Big Life Group supports local people by creating opportunities. With the funding we’ve provided, they’ll put on small projects that’ll support and enhance the community, as part of the Voices Arise Project.
Brotherhood of the Cross and Star
@bcs.unitedkingdom
The Peace Garden Project is a space for local community members, children, youth groups and volunteers to grow food. The funding we’ve provided will be used to deliver outdoor growing sessions at their potting shed.
Caritas Diocese of Salford
@caritas_salford
Caritas supports people who’re experiencing poverty, discrimination and homelessness. With the funding we’ve provided, Caritas will encourage recruit One Manchester customers to become part of their volunteer programme.
Manchester Carnival Together CIC
@mcrcarnival
Manchester Carnival Together delivers projects within the local community to celebrate Manchester Carnival and its history. One Manchester customers will be invited to take part in their carnival heritage hub programme which includes workshops, storytelling, and celebrating Cultural Heritage Day.
We’re looking forward to seeing how the successful organisations progress with their projects and we’ll be sure to keep you updated!
We’ll keep you updated when there are opportunities for you to get involved in the range of activities these groups are delivering.

Community partnerships
We partner with local organisations that share the same goals and values as us to help our communities thrive.
If you're interested in partnering with One Manchester, please complete our contact form. We’ll contact you within three working days of receiving your enquiry.

Activities for young people
We're keen to help the next generation get the best start possible. We deliver a range of activities, both educational and play, plus opportunities and connections across our communities.
Our free after-school sessions give young people a safe, welcoming space to learn, play and grow. The sessions take place weekly after school at community centres near you.
Complete our Contact Us form to find out more about these sessions.

Support for care leavers
We offer a peer support service for customers leaving care to help people take their next steps. This takes the form of dedicated 1:1 and group sessions. We also connect you with our Employment and Skills service to help you with work or training.
To access this, please complete our contact form. We’ll contact you within three working days of receiving your enquiry and schedule an appointment within two weeks.

Year-round community events
We host free, inclusive events across our neighbourhoods – from fun days to craft sessions. Everyone is welcome at our events - they're accessible, affordable, and a great place to connect with others!
You can always find our latest community events on our Events page.

Social Value reinvestment
We reinvest funding and hours secured through contractors that we work with back into One Manchester communities through things like funding or materials for local projects, volunteer hours for events, or expert advice for a school workshop or community groups. We're always sharing stories about our Social Value commitments on our social media channels - keep an eye out for the latest updates.

Looking after our neighbourhoods
We work hard to keep our communities clean and green.
We do this by:
- Grounds maintenance – Our team keeps shared green spaces tidy all year round.
- Mobile cleaning – Our teams make sure external spaces are kept clean and tidy and can respond to areas of concern when necessary.
- Fly-tipping – Our teams work to tackle fly-tipping in our areas. If you spot fly-tipping in your local area, give us a call on 0330 355 1000 or complete our Contact Us form and we’ll get it sorted.
- Neighbourhood inspections - Neighbourhood inspections are all about us working together to keep your neighbourhood looking great. We regularly walk our neighbourhoods with residents to spot issues and assess anything that needs sorting e.g. fly-tipping. Any issues we see, we’ll add to an action plan to get addressed.
Find out more about the work we do to look after our neighbourhoods here.
Our social priorities
Our work focusses on creating
Stronger, more resilient communities
We support the capacity of local groups and individuals to enable them to continue to support their own communities.
Improved places, reduced environmental impact
We help to improve our local environment and act responsibly to reduce our global environmental impact.
Stronger, more resilient local economy
We help to improve our local environment and acting responsibly to reduce our global environmental impact.
Healthier and happier people in our communities
We provide and support activities and services that improve wellbeing and reduce social isolation.