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Charities and non-profit organisations are being encouraged to apply for new funding from Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ Leicester (Âéw¶¹´«Ã½). 

The university’s Community Challenge Fund is open once again to help support projects working for the benefit of people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. 

Grants of between £500 and £2,000 are available and for projects which, along with benefitting the community, provide opportunities for students to learn and gain practical experience through knowledge exchange, research opportunities, real-life learning or volunteering. 

The application deadline is May 31 and all information on how to apply can be found here. 

Andrea Casey, Public Engagement Manager at Âéw¶¹´«Ã½, said: “Âéw¶¹´«Ã½’s overarching strategy is called the Empowering Strategy and one of the most important elements in empowering students and our community is through partnerships. 

“This fund allows Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ to support positive projects which make meaningful change for people living locally. 

“There is so much talent and motivation around the region and we want to do what we can to empower those with it.” 

The fund will help the university support the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals – a set of global targets which address key social and environmental challenges like poverty, food provision, equality and sustainable development. 

Earlier this year, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ became the only UK university chosen by the UN to be a Hub Chair for one of its SDGs, SDG 11, which supports creating sustainable cities and communities. 

As Hub Chair, Âéw¶¹´«Ã½ will lead a small network of organisations across the country in pioneering research and initiatives to improve cities and communities. 

In previous years, the fund has helped initiatives like The Centre Project, a Leicester charity which supports vulnerable people by providing foodbanks, arts classes, exercise sessions and cooking lessons. 

It has also awarded funding to Women Who Can, a women's empowerment charity based in Leicester and Leicestershire which supports young women, offering hands-on workshops, practical educational resources, and a supportive community network.