The Conwy Valley and North Wales Coast Community Rail Partnership has officially launched their Community Resilience Grant to allow community organisations along the line to build resilience and sustainability for their existing projects or new initiatives.
The scheme offers grants of up to £1,000 for community organisations, charities and CICs located within 5 miles (8km) of a station along the railway line in the counties of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire and Flint.
With a total grant pot of £20,000, the scheme aims to support projects that target social isolation and inspires behaviour change that link to healthy wellbeing activities and where possible encourage the use of public transport.
Karen Williams, Community Rail Officer for the Conwy Valley and North Wales Coast Community Rail Partnership (CRP) said: “I’m excited by this next round of funding and looking forward to seeing who we, as a CRP support this year. We have formed some strong relationships from our last round of applications, and I hope that this year will open up some new opportunities.”
The grant can be used to support both grassroots projects and running costs, including staff, rent, maintenance, or utilities, if these cannot be met through other means and will help the organisation remain active and sustainable. Applicants will need to show how the grant will positively impact their community, reduce social isolation and improve health and wellbeing.
Eligible groups must:
- Be within 5 miles of a railway station on the lines from Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog and Holyhead to Shotton (or demonstrate benefit to a community that is)
- Have a bank account with two unrelated signatories
- Show a track record of delivery and clear project need
The scheme has been made possible thanks to funding from Avanti West Coast which has been match funded by the Conwy Valley and North Wales Coast Community Rail Partnership. Community Voluntary Support Conwy (CVSC) will be administering the grant, and the assessing panel will consist of rail partnership board members, voluntary sector representatives, and members from Transport for Wales and Avanti West Coast.
Phil Jones, Funding Officer for the CVSC said: “We are honoured to take on the role of administrators for this fund and are fully committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency. Our focus will be on ensuring that the fund continues to deliver lasting impact for its stakeholders and supports sustainable growth for the communities it serves”
Closing date for applications is 29th August 2025. Please note that CVSC reserves the right to close the scheme early if the demand exceeds the grant amount available, early submission is therefore strongly encouraged. Successful projects must be completed by 31st March 2026, with final reports due by 30th April 2026. Please e-mail all completed applications to grants@cvsc.org.uk
Organisations interested in applying can get support from their local County Voluntary Council (CVC). Questions about the grant itself can be asked by contacting karen@conwyvalleynorthwalescoast.com or philipjones@cvsc.org.uk.