The whole process has enabled the translation of community insight into action. By supporting targeted, community-led projects, the programme has contributed to reducing health inequalities and building stronger, more resilient communities across Oxfordshire.
To ensure that resources are directed towards projects that address the specific health and wellbeing priorities identified in the community insights profiles by local communities, a grant funding scheme was set up.
Innovative and tailored grant funding
Funding is allocated to support recommendations emerging from each one, with a focus on reducing health inequalities and improving outcomes for residents experiencing the greatest disadvantage. The way the grants schemes have been set up reflect the distinctly different characteristics of each area.
The grant process has strengthened local partnerships and built capacity within the voluntary and community sector, enabling organisations to respond more effectively to emerging needs.
Programme-embedded monitoring and evaluation ensures that learning from success and challenge is captured and shared, supporting continuous improvement.
A solution for local needs
Since the introduction of the grant funding, each of the 14 areas has seen the development and delivery of projects that respond directly to local needs. For example, in Banbury, grants have enabled the delivery of healthy eating programmes and community kitchens, directly tackling food insecurity identified in the local profile. In The Leys, funding has been used to expand provision of activities aimed at women as well as expanding the offer of community mental health support respective.
Barton Community Association
What the community told us: Residents wanted more support for families and women specifically, better access to activities, and help with isolation and wellbeing.
What happened as a result: Local groups led on new projects and extended existing ones with support from community insight profile grant funding
- Barton Community Association ran a community café and minibus trips to reduce isolation
- Love Barton offered free mental health listening and wellbeing packs
- Project PT’s Barton LiFT helped young people build confidence through sport
- Oxford Clothes Hub provided affordable clothing pop-ups
- St Mary’s Church hosted coffee mornings for those at risk of isolation.
Residents say they feel more connected and supported, and young people are more engaged in positive activities.
Abingdon Caldecott community groups
What the community told us: Families on low incomes wanted more support and affordable activities.
What happened as a result: A ‘grants plus’ approach was taken that combined financial support with hands-on guidance to help organisations get ready to apply, build confidence, and strengthen projects longer term. Community First Oxfordshire was commissioned to lead this work on behalf of the Abingdon steering group. Local groups accessed the community insight profile grant scheme to run new family sessions. Parents say they can now join in activities they couldn’t afford before, and more families are taking part in community events.
A 'grants plus' approach
A key success factor has been hearing and responding to the voices from across the communities. Getting their input and insight leads to better results and stronger trust and engagement.
Participatory Grant Making
We partnered with a local organisation, Oxford Hub, to pilot a Participatory Grant Making (PGM) approach. The goal was to fund projects that improve health and wellbeing while building trust and ownership within the community.
This innovative model shifted decision-making power from traditional top-down structures to local residents who know their community best. Grants were allocated to projects that mattered most to the community.
Residents involved in the participatory grant funding model consistently reported feeling listened to, valued, and empowered, describing a stronger sense of belonging and shared purpose. This was the first time public health funds had been used in this way locally. Trusting residents to lead meant funding projects that were going to make a real difference, be culturally relevant and supported locally.
Oxford Hub used their findings from the Community Insight Profiles to inform their next iteration of Participatory Grant Making (PGM) funding, this time involving young people and funding received from the Lankelly Chase. Following training, 14 youth panellists allocated £10,000 to 21 community projects. These included sports activities, coding camps, cultural workshops, and mentoring schemes, all designed to be fun, inclusive, and low-cost.
How engaging communities makes a real difference
West Oxfordshire District Council asked local communities to get directly involved in the decision making about which projects would be funded by the grant. This approach made them feel heard, empowered and crucially engaged in the process.
"“My kids were proud of me… They couldn’t believe their dad was going to be on a panel!"
Supporting primary school children
Anne-Marie Wortley, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School explains how grant funding supported their sensory garden.
The Well Together Programme
The Well Together programme is funded by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB). Its primary aim is to reduce health inequalities by supporting community-led health and wellbeing initiatives in areas of greatest need. The programme empowers communities by building local capacity through grants and embedded roles to enable grassroots health activities.