About
The power of local giving
Step Up MCR is the place based giving charity for Manchester. We make it easy for anyone to give back to the community where they live or work, creating brighter Manchester futures.
We believe everyone should feel happy, healthy and at home here in Manchester. That’s why, through the power of local giving, we grow community-led health and wellbeing projects making a real difference to people’s lives.
Our work supports more resilient communities by growing community activity, raising aspirations and boosting health and wellbeing. We do this by brokering support between local projects and those wanting to give back.
Anybody can give back to the community- whether its time, money, resources, skills, knowledge or space. Contact us and find out how you can Step Up for the community.
We have leveraged over £500k into local communities, catalysing more than 80 resident-led projects.
Our Place Based Giving Story
Step Up MCR was launched in 2019 by social housing provider One Manchester with seed funding from the Government’s Growing Place Based Giving programme. As one of six giving schemes set up nationally, we’re supported by a network of UK place based giving partners to learn alongside!
Step Up MCR registered as a charity in 2020 and we have continued to grow our collaborative place partnership since. Our model was designed with local communities and we continue to be led by local voice.
We put the power into the hands of the community by supporting over 50 resident-led projects. Decisions on how funding are made at our Advisory Panel of people living and working in our community, and at our Step Forward Fund events.
What is place based giving?
Place based giving schemes (PBGS) are a means of increasing investment in local communities and supporting the development of local places. They bring together residents, community groups, corporate donors and public sector organisations to raise money and address local priorities.
The schemes put local people at the heart of funding decisions, engaging residents as donors and volunteers to help set priorities and choose projects to fund.
What we do
Local Giving
We make it easy to give back to the community. Local giving of money, time, space and expertise enables us to grow more exciting local initiatives in Manchester.
Shift Power
We create opportunities for people living and working in our neighbourhoods to get involved in decision-making and decide how money is spent locally.
Grow Ideas
We grow more sustainable and resilient community organisations.
Through our Community Offer we:
- Make grants to health and wellbeing initiatives
- Co-ordinate local giving
- Connect communities
- Promoting great initiatives
- Provide access to opportunities like training and mentoring
