Aims/priorities:
As the largest passenger train operator outside of London, Northern connects people and communities across the North of England. But it’s not just about running trains; we are committed to making a positive difference wherever we can, and this is reflected in our vision, which is ‘to make a positive impact for the North in all we do and for all we serve’.
The rise in the cost of living is affecting many of the customers and communities on our network. We are therefore looking for schemes or projects that will address the impact of this which is felt by so many across the region we serve.
The Customer and Community Improvement Fund will consider a proposals that will bring benefit locally across our network (which is pretty much anywhere in the north of England but check our route map if you are not sure).
Projects do not need to be linked to one of our stations or have a specific connection to rail.
We’re keen to hear about projects that would help address:
- Social mobility: education, mentoring, skills, training, employment
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Social isolation
- Financial inclusion
- Digital inclusion
- Poverty
We’re also open to your suggestions if you have a project that addresses another type of need faced by our communities due to the rise in the cost of living. Ultimately any scheme should benefit customers and / or communities so if you have a good idea or project that doesn’t seem to fit with the themes above please contact us to discuss it, it may still be worth applying – ccif@northernrailway.co.uk
Who can apply:
Pretty much anyone! We welcome applications from customers, stakeholders, community groups, charities, not for profit organisations and our own Northern colleagues. Please note that the organisation applying must have a linked bank account - no funds will be paid into the account of an individual, regardless of their capacity within the organisation.
Grant amount:
Individual grants with a value of up to £10,000, £5,000, or £1000 are available. The total funding available is £50,000. Match funding isn’t a requirement but will be looked at favourably for schemes with a higher overall value.
Application process:
You need to complete our online application form. The form needs to be completed in one go, unfortunately you can’t save it and go back to it at a later date so we have a pdf example available here to help you make sure you have all the information ready that you will need.
Deadline:
Applications are now open and will close at 23.59 on 11 August 2023. All applications will be reviewed and assessed against the criteria above. A review panel will then collate a list of recommended schemes to take forward.
Contact information: