Projects across Greater Manchester’s foundational economy get £275,000 to trial innovative ideas

• GMCA’s Foundational Economy Innovation Fund providing grants to support technology adoption and innovation across city region’s economy
• Funding targeted at health and social care, early years and childcare, and the local high street
• Twenty-five organisations awarded grants of up to £11,000 each

A pioneering fund has awarded £275,000 to a range of projects aiming to spark innovation in Greater Manchester’s “foundational economy”.

Twenty-five businesses and organisations have been awarded grants of up to £11,000 from Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Foundational Economy Innovation Fund.

The foundational economy – also known as the “everyday economy” – refers to the parts of the economy people depend on for their daily needs, including the adult social care, early education and childcare, retail, and leisure and hospitality sectors.

Funding has been awarded to projects that drive innovation and improve productivity and working conditions in these sectors. Recipients have put forward a broad range of creative ideas to improve ways of working, support their workforce and make their sector more resilient.

Greater Manchester has the UK’s fastest growing economy. By ensuring that technology and innovation benefit every part of that economy, the Fund is supporting the city region’s ambition for another decade of sustainable and inclusive growth.

Grants of up to £11,000 are being awarded in the fund’s first phase. A second phase will provide the most impactful projects with up to £60,000 to further develop their ideas.

Find out more about the projects being funded through the Foundational Economy Innovation Fund.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Lead for Economy, Business, and Inclusive Growth, said:

“Our groundbreaking Foundational Economy Innovation Fund is supporting the sectors that underpin our communities and provide the essential products and services we use every day. We received lots of applications and we were really impressed by the ambition and creativity on show. The projects awarded funding are tackling the full range of challenges the foundational economy faces, and we look forward to seeing them turn their ideas into impact.”

The Foundational Economy Innovation Fund was shortlisted for an award by the Institute for Economic Development in 2024. This latest round of funding is the second awarded by the Fund.

So far it has supported a broad range of businesses, social enterprises and voluntary organisations. Participants have reported an increased confidence and capacity to innovate, with knowledge and skills gained from the programme shared widely by participants with their staff, customers and service users.

Among the projects receiving funding is Yonder People CIC’s Social Care Academy. A collaboration with HMP Styal, the initiative is aiming to equip low-risk female offenders with the skills and qualifications needed for social care employment post-release.

Lucy Bailey, Programme Manager at Yonder People CIC, said:

“We’re delighted that the GMCA funding will allow Yonder to launch a Social Care Academy with HMP Styal. It will give low-risk female offenders the skills, confidence and qualifications they need to build careers in social care after release. It means real opportunities and second chances for more women in the criminal justice system and helps to meet the growing demand for skilled, compassionate professionals in the social care sector. It’s a win-win – for the women taking part in the Academy, our communities and the future of social care.”

Deepdale Technology, another business awarded funding, is building an app to help Greater Manchester’s local independent venues promote themselves with instant, time-sensitive deals during quiet periods.

Sam Howkins, Director at Deepdale Technology, said:

“We are creating a mobile app that connects people with Manchester's independent hospitality, leisure, retail and cultural venues – creating a very real win-win situation for all. The app offers local businesses a smarter way to market themselves and instantly combat quiet periods of trade, helping to boost footfall and reduce wasted hours, space and stock. While the end user can experience something new and maybe snap up a bargain or two in the process. We are exceptionally grateful for the support from GMCA. The grant funding is imperative in getting us to a point of BETA testing and to the next step closer to being able to support Manchester’s hospitality, cultural and tourism sector when they need it the most.”

Notes to editors

The full list of projects awarded funding by GMCA’s Foundational Economy Innovation Fund:

• CARE+: Developing a digital platform to co-ordinate volunteers and clients for hospital visits, household help and social activities, and a new Community Health and Care Skills Hub.
• Citizens Advice SORT Group: Building an AI-powered assistant using plain language to help people with disabilities and long-term health conditions complete forms.
• Coco Operative: Testing an AI-enhanced digital tool to improve child protection planning, using input from those with lived experience.
• Deepdale Technology: Building an app to help Greater Manchester’s local independent venues promote themselves with instant, time-sensitive deals during quiet periods.
• Egino Emerging: Turning brewery waste into sustainable food products and involving people on probation to help them gain skills and work experience.
• Empower Coaching and Performance: Delivering school-based workshops blending acting and mindset training to build resilience in 11–14-year-olds at risk of persistent absence or mental health conditions.
• Health and Education Co-operative: Halving training time for non-medical prescribers to train, to improve patient care and optimise healthcare resources.
• Henshaws Society for the Blind: Early support for sight loss through tailored guidance and proactive outreach.
• Hey Little Cupcake: Creating a Community Baking Hub offering free workshops, employment training, and wellbeing sessions, especially focusing on young people, people returning to work or reskilling, and isolated or vulnerable individuals.
• Independent Choices Greater Manchester: Creating a secure online refuge referral form for professionals to request refuge searches, aiming to streamline processes and reduce service demand.
• Inspiring Communities Together: Creating a development pathway into employment that transforms traditional childcare apprentices into qualified Children and Families Workers.
• Leigh Works: Building an accessible podcast and video studio for local businesses and community media production.
• Merseybank Garden Group: Producing organic, low-carbon baby food with natural protein from oyster mushrooms and recycled packaging.
• Persona Care and Support and Cabasa CIC: Developing a design and printing enterprise to help individuals with disabilities develop skills in screen printing and fabric design.
• PossAbilities: Developing an accessible employment support app tailored for people with learning disabilities.
• SofraMCR CIC: Helping underrepresented women build food skills, confidence, and enterprise ideas with employment support.
• Stitched Up: Researching economic and environmental viability of shredded textile waste for local sustainable product development.
• The Emotional Health Hub: Designing gamified digital tools to support emotional resilience in 6-11-year-olds, easing specialist service demand.
• The Fusilier Museum: Developing an online platform to expand public access to regimental exhibitions and archives.
• Thriving.ai: Trialling a digital ‘Carer Stress Index’ platform to identify and reduce burnout in unpaid carers.
• Unlimited Potential: Co-designing Live Well centres, prioritising ideas from those with experience of insecure employment and experience using support services.
• WETA Community Services: Offering culturally sensitive, faith-based mental health first aid training tailored for the Muslim community.
• Wisterias Care Software: Prototyping AI-driven rostering and pain monitoring tools to improve dementia care and workforce wellbeing.
• Wyncourt Nursing Home: Piloting a motorised turning system to reduce carer injury by easing patient repositioning.
• Yonder: Creating a Social Care Academy to train low-risk female offenders for post-release social care jobs.

Article Published: 06/08/2025 06:48 AM