Pilot funding scheme comes to York:
Micklegate residents invited to decide how £20,000 is spent in their community.
We’re proud to announce that York Together, has been awarded £20,000 of funding to be spent in the Micklegate ward.
Summary
As part of a new and exciting opportunity created by the national funder, ‘Local Trust’, this grant is designed to tackle the injustice of poverty and deprivation in the city, whilst also encouraging York residents to decide together how best to spend the money.
Towards the end of 2026, people living in the Micklegate ward will be invited to join a collaborative decision-making process, coming together 9 times over the course of a year to ‘dream big’ and choose the best course of action. There are no limits to what can be done with the funding, so long as it is poverty and community-focused.
Anjelica Finnegan, York Together’s Development Lead, said:
“Too often, decisions about local funding are made by a small group of people in powerful positions, rather than by those with experience of the issues at hand. Thinking creatively about how to use resources is seen as some sort of elite skill - but we disagree. We want to do things differently.
Through this project we’ll bolster the ideas of the people who live locally and support them in the wisdom they bring. This isn’t about hand-holding, as we know the power already exists within communities to make the change that’s needed. They will know what’s best for their neighbourhood; we’re just providing the space for that to happen.”
Why Micklegate
Although it might not be immediately obvious, Micklegate ward is the fourth most deprived area in York, with wealth inequality being the biggest issue for local people.
Unfortunately, the ward presents as affluent, often making the pockets of disadvantage invisible. For instance, many people spend time in affluent areas such as Bishopthorpe (Bishy) Road and The Mount, and do not notice that these places sit alongside small clusters of social housing. Many families still exist in poverty close by.
Who can join us?
Anyone aged 18 and above can join this project. There are 13 spaces available and priority will be given to those who have experience of the issues at hand.
There will be a meal available at every meeting, and participants will be compensated for their time. York Together will work with individuals to understand how compensation can happen without negative impact.
If you live in the Micklegate ward and you’d like to get involved, contact York Together directly by emailing: hello@yorktogether.org
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