A new approach to citizen leadership in Grimsby has been successfully trialled, with volunteer ‘Decision Makers’ reviewing proposals submitted by the community – and deciding which projects received funding.
In an exciting new step for Grimsby’s future, people made real-life decisions to help turn their community’s ambitions into action. This came after two years of town-wide conversations to shape a vision for Grimsby
In early July, volunteer Decision Makers, gathered to shortlist and review proposals submitted by the community. During the event, each Decision Maker was given a proportion of the budget to allocate individually, as part of the pilot phase of the town’s Growing Together Fund.
The Decision Makers applied to be part of the process during an open call for volunteers throughout May and June. They were given training and briefing and came fully prepped and prepared to make choices on behalf of their community.
“I really enjoyed being a Decision Maker for the first round of Give it a Go. It was something new for me and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I found it really easy to get involved,” said Decision Maker, Katherine Robinson
“It was great to have a say and feel like my opinion really mattered. I had a lot of fun doing it, but I also knew there was an important job to do for our town and the people who live here. I’d definitely encourage others to get involved and sign up to be a Decision Maker,” she added.
Decision Makers were committed to making sure the town’s money delivered as much as possible, and a total of nine applications were allocated funding from the initial Give it a Go funding pot.
The event had the look and feel of the previous two years of conversations across Grimsby, when people came together to take part in public meetings, workshops, open events, and online conversations to talk openly about what matters most to them.
This ambitious, uplifting, and novel process paved the way for Decision Makers to come to this funding allocation process ready to make strategic decisions and fund projects that would support the vision for their town.
The town’s Growing Together fund is supported and backed by the Greater Grimsby board and Pride in Place board. The ambition is that the £20m Pride in Place funding over 10 years is the floor for the fund rather than the ceiling, and it will attract other funding over time.
Nine community projects in Grimsby have been awarded £47,249 and grants are in the process of being dispersed to successful applicants.
This first round of Growing Together funding comes from the fund’s Give it a Go pot, where applicants can apply for up to £10,000 for local ideas that are ready to test, start or spark something new, and a further round will be available for applications later in 2026.
So, what got funded?
The nine projects funded in Round One are:
Creating Confidence in Grimsby: Six 2.5-hour performance-based workshops over 12 weeks across Whitgift School, Franklin College, Grimsby Institute and other venues, building confidence and communication skills in children and young people.
Passion into Purpose, Youth-led Creative Enterprise Project Pilot: A 12-week pilot for young people aged 16-24 in the East Marsh offering hands-on sessions in 3D printing, laser cutting, screen printing, crochet, textile design and product branding, with products designed, made and sold through a social enterprise model and taken to makers markets.
Playday in Grimsby: Transforming St James’ Square into a free space for creative play and family participation as part of the UK National Playday campaign, alongside Play Packs enabling families and community groups to host their own local Playdays.
Source to Sea: Up to 20 one-to-one guided canoe experiences along the River Freshney between now and March 2027, exploring the river’s wildlife, heritage and connection to the sea.
Bee Aware of Nature: Education sessions for all ages across two linked areas with hands-on beekeeping and apiary sessions, and drone sessions filming local wildlife.
Sharing a Hidden Gem: Weelsby Hall and Grounds. Plans include the installation of a site map, biodiversity panel, directional signs, and carved seating across the Weelsby Hall grounds. Funds will also support volunteers to deliver open days, tours, and nature trails, with an inclusive bi-annual festival planned for summer 2027.
Stronger Communities Cultural Insight Research & Voice Amplification Project: This project will involve interviews, listening groups and testimony sessions with residents from diverse backgrounds across Grimsby, supported by cultural connectors, producing community-friendly summaries to share with local partners and inform future cohesion work.
The Great Grimsby Wind and Solar Race Project: A STEM project for young people aged 7-16, with sessions across Freeman Street, Horizon Youth Zone and Freshney Place to design and build solar-powered vehicles or wind-powered boats, culminating in a race at Alexandra Dock and the Beach of Dreams Race Finale.
The Quarter Awakens: A free one-day street activation on Bethlehem Street during October half-term 2026, connecting a cultural hub, independent bookshop, historic pub, and Grimsby Minster into a creative trail with live performance, a Story Trail, a Making Station, and a communal artwork.
North East Lincolnshire Council Leader, Cllr Oliver Freeston, added: “Communities make towns. Since taking Leadership of the council in May, my conversations and my visits to areas of Grimsby have proved that to me more than ever. It is great to see people who live and work in our communities making decisions in this way. I ask everyone to get involved and let’s change our place for the better.”
If you’d like to help decide where funding goes, register your interest in becoming a Decision Maker for the Growing Together Fund.
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Background on Grimsby Together and development of the Growing Together Fund
In 2024, people in Grimsby created a shared vision for their town that they called Grimsby Together through online conversations, public meetings, workshops and open events. 56,000 votes were cast for different ideas and approaches, 1,100 people took part in person and the ideas around homes and neighbourhoods, education and opportunity, nature and the local economy were captured for a future town prospectus.
In 2025, Grimsby was confirmed as eligible for up to £20 million through the Government’s Pride in Place programme, and the town decided to use its entire allocation to seed a sustainable locally governed legacy fund.
Since then, 80 people have formed working groups to design and develop the Growing Together Fund – a pot of money that will ultimately be owned and run by the community and allow social and philanthropic investment to come in alongside government money.
In May 2026, grants of up to £10,000 were made available per application. A group of Decision Makers drawn from across the town reviewed the applications and decided which projects should be allocated money from the first of three funding pots.
Give it a Go is the pilot phase of the Growing Together Fund
Give it a Go (Round 1) opened on Monday 11 May 2026 and offered grants of up to £10,000. Applications for funding and for Decision Makers closed on Friday 5 June 2026. Funding allocation events were held on 6 and 7 July, and nine projects have been funded with a total value of £47,249.
The fund’s longer-term ambition is to become a lasting, independent fund for Grimsby, rooted in local priorities and shaped by people who know the town best.
The Growing Together Fund is supported through Pride in Place funding and delivered by Our Future with support from Key Fund.
How were Decision Markers selected?
38 Decision Makers were recruited from across the town and took part in facilitated sessions where they discussed the proposals in front of them, before agreeing which ideas should go forward.
They were selected using a process designed to ensure they provided a cross-section of the Grimsby population.
Feedback from the Decision Makers involved in Round 1 is already being used to improve how Round 2 of the Give it a Go funding allocation will work, including how proposals are outlined, how Decision Makers are recruited, and how people who are not online can take part.
What happens next
The nine funded groups will now begin delivering their projects across the town, and Our Future will provide updates on how these projects are developing. Further funding opportunities through the Growing Together Fund will come in Autumn 2026 and more information will follow later in the year.
More information about the Growing Together Fund and future funding rounds is available at growingtogetherfund.org.uk. Here’s the expression of interest form to be a Decision Maker
Follow Our Future for updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ourfutureuk/
About Our Future
Our Future is a national charity that started work in North East Lincolnshire and has built its approach in collaboration with people across the town. It works alongside local people, organisations and partners to build the conditions for lasting, community-led change. In Grimsby, Our Future supports the process behind the Growing Together Fund alongside a range of other work.
About Key Fund
Key Fund is an experienced social fund administrator. For Give it a Go, Key Fund supported the funding process, including eligibility checks, grant agreements and payments
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