The operator has opened applications for grants from its 2024 Customer and Community Improvement Fund.
A total of £100,000 is being made available, which is two times the size of the 2023 fund.
Northern are particularly keen to hear from groups working on projects which aim to help those starting out on their careers, or which promote inclusive recruitment and education outreach.
However, any scheme which is designed to improve social mobility in deprived areas of the north of England is eligible for funding.
This is an important part of our mission to ensure that Northern has a positive impact on the North
Carolyn Watson, director of stakeholder and community engagement at Northern
The £100,000 will be awarded to a number of different groups, with each one receiving grants worth between £2,500 and £20,000.
Last year’s fund of £50,000 was spilt between a total of 12 groups.
One of these was the Hub at Westhoughton, an accessible space which facilitates inclusive activities in Westhoughton, near Bolton.
YMCA Barnsley, an organisation which delivers a wide range of children’s and youth work in the South Yorkshire town, also received a donation from the fund.
The other successful projects were Family Action, Bolton CVS, Brathay, Humber Job Hub CIC, Niamos Centre, Selby Coder Dojo, Divine Days Community CIC, Settle and Community Business Hub, Maverick Lab CIC and Featherstone Rovers.
A number of rail operators have similar funds to support community groups in the regions where they run services, such as CrossCountry, which donated £20,000 to charities in Cornwall over the past year, and South Western Railway, which is helping to finance 58 local projects across its network.
Groups that are interested in applying for a share of Northern’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund should visit their website in order to learn more and submit an application.
The deadline for applications is Friday, 7 June.
We know social mobility is a major issue for some of the communities across our network.
The Customer & Community Improvement Fund is a way we can support local people to deliver initiatives and projects that they know will help improve the situation on the ground in those locations.
This is an important part of our mission to ensure that Northern has a positive impact on the North.
Carolyn Watson, director of stakeholder and community engagement at Northern
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