The Trauma Responsive Greater Manchester (GM) Fund is awarding grants of £5,000 to £10,000 to voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across Greater Manchester. The Fund is designed to support organisations to move beyond basic awareness of trauma and embed trauma-responsive environments within their services, systems, and settings.

In this blog, Kelly Duke, Projects and Partnerships Manager at 10GM, reflects on the joyful launch of the Spaces of Hope and Connection programme as part of the Live Well Spring Festival. She captures the energy, creativity and shared commitment in the room as VCSE organisations, communities and public sector partners came together to celebrate a bold investment in community‑led change across Greater Manchester.

A renewed Greater Manchester VCFSE Accord for 2026 – 2035 was signed by leaders across Greater Manchester’s public sector on 27 March, including the health and care system, and the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE/VCFSE).

The Greater Manchester VCFSE Accord is a shared agreement between public services and the VCFSE sector, setting out how we will work together to improve outcomes for communities across Greater Manchester. It provides a framework for collaboration based on shared values, with a focus on involving communities, resourcing the VCFSE sector, and recognising its vital role in tackling inequalities.

As Accord Officers, 10GM supports delivery across a range of workstreams, including: Commissioning and Investment, Locality Engagement and Infrastructure, Supporting the Social Economy, Workforce, Data and Intelligence, Resilience, and more.

In 2023, 10GM invested in two VCSE infrastructure organisations in Greater Manchester to test out approaches that support Sport England and GM Moving’s ambition of ‘connecting communities’ to enable active lives for all.

This report highlights learning from investments in test and learn sites in Wigan and Bury from 2023 to 2025, exploring how community-based approaches can support people to move more. The report shares Bury VCFA and Groundwork Wigan’s project journeys, identifies enablers and blockers and discusses how integrating place-based and whole system approaches drives change.

Launching in April 2026, this is one of the largest investments in community-led development in England — shifting power so that communities shape what happens next. We’re thrilled to share that thanks to National Lottery players, 10GM, on behalf of Greater Manchester Live Well, will receive £16.5 million over four years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest community funder.

This investment in Live Well Spaces of Hope and Connection will create a network of 100+ inclusive, community-led and owned spaces across Greater Manchester where people can meet, belong and find everyday support.

Prioritising communities facing the greatest inequalities, the investment will strengthen social infrastructure and grow community action, power and wealth. Powered by the Live Well movement, VCSE organisations, public services and residents will come together to share power, change systems and shape healthier, fairer, more connected places.

Across Greater Manchester, there are already hundreds of community-led spaces keeping the lights on — run by dedicated people, for the communities they love. This investment will help protect and grow them, and ensure that everyone has somewhere to belong.

This is a huge step towards a more connected, equitable Greater Manchester, launching in April 2026.

Liz Windsor-Welsh, Director of 10GM, speaking on behalf of the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector in Greater Manchester, said: “We’re thrilled to have secured this major investment in Greater Manchester’s VCFSE sector. Across our 10 boroughs, there are already hundreds of spaces of hope and connection. They’re the lifeblood of our sector. But many are underfunded, overstretched and held up by just a few dedicated individuals fighting to keep the lights on. These leaders often face immense pressure, driven by a deep sense of responsibility to their communities. And too many people facing the most significant inequalities still do not have communal spaces to call their own. 

“This investment will help us change that. Prioritising the communities facing the greatest inequalities, it builds on the leadership and creativity already rooted in local communities. It will help strengthen social infrastructure and put real power, resources and decision-making into local hands. 

“Powered by the Live Well movement, we’ll work with our VCFSE organisations, public services, and residents to share power, change systems and shape healthier, fairer, more connected places, so that everyone can live a better life.”

Launching in April 2026, this is one of the largest investments in community-led development in England — shifting power so that communities shape what happens next.

In this guest blog, Jenny Rouse, VCFSE Accord Strategic Lead at Greater Manchester Combined Authority explores why genuine understanding between the public sector and Greater Manchester’s VCFSE organisations is crucial for effective partnership. She highlights how reliable data — particularly from the State of the Sector report — helps move beyond assumptions, challenge misconceptions, and reveal the true scale and diversity of the region’s 17,500 civil society organisations.

With the State of the Sector survey now live for people to complete, Jenny sets out why fresh evidence is vital for better decision‑making, stronger collaboration, and improving outcomes for communities.

Read Jenny’s blog to see how good data strengthens public–VCFSE partnerships.