Small and medium sized businesses and local partnerships can now bid for a share of £4 million available over the next two years, to fund innovative projects to improve the health and welfare of their workers.
The Health Work and Well-being (HWWB) Challenge Fund is a competitive grant scheme from the Department for Work and Pensions, established to encourage innovative projects that improve employees’ health and welfare at work, with a particular focus on practical initiatives for employees' mental well-being.
Small and medium sized enterprises (businesses which have between 1 and 249 employees), and local partnerships are eligible to apply to the Challenge Fund for grants of between £1,000 and £50,000.
A Regional Assessment Panel will decide which projects will receive funding.
The HWWB Challenge Fund will be available until 31 March 2011 and there will be two rounds of funding. The deadline for the first round of funding (for an award in April 2010 to March 2011) is 31 December 2009.
Further details, including project criteria, guidance for entries and Expression of Interest form, are available at www.workingforhealth.gov.uk/challengefund.
Please also see the Challenge fund flyer as a pdf. from Department of Work and Pensions.
Until 30 November, any queries regarding the Challenge Fund may be directed to Andrew Larter (Associate Director of Health and Social Care, Department of Health South West) via email: andrew.larter@gosw.gsi.gov.uk or phone: 0117 900 1757.
From 30 November, Jane Abraham (Health Work & Well-being Coordinator, Department of Health) can be contacted with any queries via email: jane.abraham@gosw.gsi.gov.uk or swcoordinator@gosw.gsi.gov.uk or phone: 0117 900 1757.