On The Path To Purpose
In August 2025, we opened applications to the ‘Progress With Unity: Path To Purpose’ fund. This was a £1,000,000 funding pot for VCFSE organisations. Path To Purpose originated from the DWP Trailblazer Fund (If you’d like to know more, read the linked article). The aim of the fund, is to look at alternative ways of working with people who have been out of work for any number of reasons. This could be due to mental or physical health problems, income and living, family life, etc.
We wanted to make the name ‘Economic Trailblazer’ bespoke to the aims of the fund as well as the people of Wigan and Leigh hence why it was named ‘Progress With Unity: Path To Purpose’.
Who Did We Fund?
From 31 total applicants, in total, over 3 million pound was applied for during the application window. We assembled a panel of people with a knowledge of Wigan and Leigh Borough to decide who would be accepted for funding, with a cap of £200,000 for any individual organisation who applied. If there are more rounds in the future, this limit may be lowered from the minimum of £50,000 as a result of feedback from the voluntary sector.
