Run by Falkirk Council and Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, Community Choices gives people the chance to apply for funding to improve their local area and decide how public money is spent.

Earlier this year the initial pilot saw nearly 60 projects - that aim to make the area fairer, healthier, more connected and inclusive - secure funding totalling £640,000.

Public online information sessions have been organised to help clubs, community organisations, groups, and individuals understand how they could secure vital funding through Community Choices.

Lessons learned

Feedback from the pilot phase has helped shape how the next round of funding will operate.

Changes include increasing the limit for Small Grants to £5k, with projects looking for more than £5k applying to the place-based Capital programme.

A Falkirk-wide category will be introduced for projects that benefit more than one council ward.

To ensure funding is more evenly spread, no one group will be able to take up more than 60% of the fund allocated to a ward or the Falkirk-wide fund.

How you could benefit

With the launch of phase two set to be announced shortly, online workshops have been organised to explain:

• how Community Choices works, including the voting system
• the application process for Small Grants
• the criteria for to the place-based Capital programme

The sessions are open to anyone who has an idea that could benefit their community and improve the quality of life in their local area.

Spaces are limited to 25 people per session.

For more information, contact community.choices@falkirk.gov.uk.