By Lizzie Brown, Community Involvement Manager, and Nikki Glazebrook, Senior Community Involvement Officer, Greatwell Homes

Community investment can often mean large-scale programmes or long-term strategies, but sometimes the most impactful change starts with smaller, locally-led ideas.

At Greatwell Homes, our Community Grants Fund is built on that principle. Since launching in 2016, we’ve invested over £150,000 into grassroots organisations, projects and ideas that make a positive difference to our neighbourhoods across Northamptonshire. This isn’t just about funding — it’s about trust, collaboration and putting customers at the heart of decision-making.

This approach supports our Live Greatwell corporate plan, particularly our ambitions to help customers Live proud in their communities and Live happy through improved wellbeing, connection and opportunity.

A resident-led approach that builds stronger communities

What makes our approach distinctive is that funding decisions are made by our Customer Assembly — a group of engaged customers who review applications and decide where funding should go.

Pete Allington, Greatwell Homes customer and Chair of the Customer Assembly, captures this impact clearly: “From the bottom of my heart, it’s a true privilege to help decide how funding is used in our communities — because this is about people’s lives and creating opportunities where they’re needed most. Every application tells a story, and knowing our decisions can bring hope or make a real difference is something I never take lightly.

“We care deeply about supporting young people and those facing disadvantage, and as a panel we see ourselves as custodians of our communities — approaching every decision with compassion, responsibility, and pride in the difference we can make.”

His words reflect the responsibility and pride customers bring to shaping their communities.

Rather than a top-down model, it’s a partnership. Residents bring insight into the challenges and opportunities within their neighbourhoods, while organisations bring ideas, expertise and delivery capability.

Supporting what matters locally

Our grants fund is open to local groups, charities and organisations that demonstrate clear benefits to Greatwell Homes’ customers and communities.

We prioritise projects that:

  • Improve wellbeing and community connection
  • Reduce isolation and disadvantage
  • Provide opportunities for young people
  • Create safer, more inclusive neighbourhoods.

Responding to emerging needs

One strength of the fund is its ability to respond quickly to emerging challenges.

A recent example is our £5,000 grant to Groundwork Northamptonshire for a youth engagement programme on the Kingsway estate in Wellingborough. Early engagement identified concerns around personal safety, antisocial behaviour and a lack of positive activities for young people.

In response, the programme offers a six-month, youth-led approach, combining outreach, environmental projects, weekly sessions and one-to-one support. It creates safe spaces, builds trusted relationships and gives young people opportunities to contribute positively.

Importantly, this wasn’t a pre-designed solution — it was shaped by local insight and the needs of the community itself.

The value of partnership

The success of the fund relies on strong partnerships with organisations that understand their communities and can deliver targeted support.

Groundwork Northamptonshire is a strong example. Their experience in youth engagement and ability to build trust locally ensures funding translates into real outcomes.

But partnership goes beyond delivery — it reflects a shared commitment to improving lives, tackling inequality and creating opportunity.

Small grants, big impact

While individual grants may be relatively small, their impact can be significant.

Funded projects have:

  • Supported vulnerable residents
  • Created opportunities for learning and development
  • Improved local environments
  • Strengthened community networks.

These outcomes help build communities where people feel safer, more connected, and proud of where they live.

For many smaller organisations, this funding can be the difference between an idea remaining on paper or becoming a reality.

What we’ve learned

Over time, we’ve shaped how we approach community investment:

  1. Trust local voices
    Residents and community organisations understand their areas best. Giving them a genuine role in decision-making leads to better outcomes.
  2. Keep it simple and accessible
    A straightforward application process encourages a wider range of groups to apply, particularly smaller organisations.
  3. Be responsive
    Communities aren’t static. The ability to adapt funding priorities ensures support remains relevant.
  4. Focus on outcomes, not just activity
    It’s not just about what projects do, but the difference they make — whether that’s increased confidence, improved wellbeing or stronger connections.

Looking ahead

As we continue to develop the Community Grants Fund, our focus remains on empowering communities to shape their own solutions.

There is growing recognition that sustainable change comes from within communities. Our role is to support that — by providing funding, enabling opportunities and listening to what matters most.

Ultimately, this approach is about more than delivering projects. It’s about building confidence, strengthening relationships and creating places where people feel connected, supported and proud to live — bringing our Live Greatwell vision to life.