Join the growing network of communities across the West Midlands creating a healthier, fairer, greener region.
The Community Environment Network aims to connect community groups working on environment action, boost their efforts, and also inspire and support new groups.
The WMCA Community Environment Network's Small Sparks Grants gave microgrants of up to £500 to 24 community groups.
These grants supported community groups and organisations to test new ideas or helped move an existing environmental project along.
Key aims of the fund:
- Finding ways to help communities create and enhance the environment.
- Supporting communities to adopt sustainable practices.
- Support groups to engage with their local community on the environment.
See who we funded
No Limits to Health CIC
Based in Wolverhampton, their Back to Eden Project will create pollinator-friendly raised planters around their cycle containers, providing a place for nature.
Footsteps
Scared Spaces, Resilient Places collaborates with students at BCU to scope places of worship as climate resilient hubs for communities.
Thespian Arts Theatre C.I.C
Delivered a ‘play in the day’ session for children aged 6 - 13 to engage on the issue with microplastics.
Inspire Hub Central CIC
Working with youth clubs in Sparkhill to litter pick and improve their local area.
Wild Earth Movement
Hosted a climate café where they ran a swap shop, basic sewing workshops, kids crafts and bike maintenance sessions.
Working Actively To Change Hillfields
A group of volunteers have created two outdoor gardening areas to improve biodiversity within Coventry inner city communities.
WASUP
Supporting communities at Hodgehill Church with sessions with their elders and children aged 4-11 with environment action and outdoor gardening activities.
Greenfields Allotments
Clearing a section of the Walsall based allotment into a social greenspace, installing a shed to make the space useable and providing volunteer refreshments.
Star Light Multi CIC
Hosting events at the allotment for children to learn about the environment and take part in pond dipping, foraging, planting, building dens and bug hotels.
Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC
Their social prescriber is leading sessions with young people and adults and purchasing equipment to ensure everyone can enjoy the outside during the winter.
The Compost Connection cic
Developing worm colonies to donate worms to community groups to support with food waste composting and education for children.
Make Good Arts
Creating resources that residents can use to learn repair skills to use at home and running a pop up mending session as a launch for the resources.
Friends of Wollescote Park
Creating a new garden space in the Park in memory of composer Dorothy Howell. They will plant trees and perennials alongside water harvesting and composting.
Sandwell African Caribbean Mental Health Foundation
The “Grow and Gather: Winter Garden Conversations” project will offer gardening tasks for social connection in their community garden.
The Ubuntu Collective CIC
Supporting young people to engage with growing and help the elderly allotment holders at Marsh Hill Allotment in Erdington.
Community Medicine Birmingham
Created a community herbal medicine and wellbeing garden in Northleigh Road Allotments in Hodgehill and are creating a pond.
Breakthru CIC
Reusing and recycling Indians women’s wear to encourage sustainable fashion by hosting workshops to repurpose donated saris to create bags and purses.
Migrant Empower Group (MEC)
Are running a repair and share pop up event for toys, clothing and electrical items to help local residents reduce waste, save money and learn repair skills.
Headz Up CIC
Run two youth clubs that support underprivileged teens and they will be holding litter picking events at Wrens Nest Nature Reserve.
Compton Care
Establishing “Compton’s Blooming Buddies” bringing together local volunteers to help cultivate and maintain the therapeutic garden environments at the hospice.
Keeping People Well CIC
Running 6 weekly crochet and knit workshop, using waste wool for local residents to attend and learn new skills and make social connections.
Lifegate Communities Ltd
The Community Garden Education Project will support young people to scale up their community garden and learn gardening activities.
Age UK Wolverhampton
Establishing an over 50s gardening friendship group to share gardening knowledge, connect socially and improve wellbeing through time spent in nature.
Friends of Croft
Creating an eco corner at the new community hub which will include a seed bank, a recycling point for batteries and ink cartridges and a borrow & repair box.