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Nominations are now open for VSNW’s Commissioning & Funding Awards 2026, recognising funders and commissioners demonstrating fair, innovative and collaborative approaches to working with the VCFSE sector across the North West.
The VSNW Funding and Commissioning Awards are returning for a third year, celebrating the funders, commissioners and individuals helping to create fairer, more collaborative approaches to funding and commissioning across the North West. Nominations are now open.
The awards recognise organisations and individuals who demonstrate a strong commitment to working with the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector in ways that value its expertise, support sustainability and create positive impact for communities.
Good funding and commissioning can look different in different places, but it is rooted in strong relationships, trust, transparency and a genuine understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
Nominations can recognise a funding or commissioning organisation, with reference to a lead individual where appropriate, that has supported a VCFSE organisation in the North West of England within the last 18 months.
The experience can be for funding or commissioning of any value and nominations should reference the qualities that made the experience positive. These include:
You do not need to address every quality. We are interested in hearing about the experiences that stand out to you and understanding what made the funding or commissioning approach work well.
Nominations must come from a senior manager within your organisation and should be no more than 500 words.
The winners will be announced and celebrated at VSNW’s annual conference on Thursday 19 November 2026.
If you have had a positive experience with a funder or commissioner and think their approach deserves recognition, we want to hear your story.
Nominations are until 5pm on Friday 2 October 2026. To nominate, email your submission to info@vsnw.org.uk with the subject line “VSNW Awards 2026”.
Cheshire Community Foundation was named Outstanding Grant Funder, recognised for its long-term vision, multi-year funding and transparent processes, alongside its efforts to reduce the administrative burden on organisations. The Westminster Foundation was highly commended for its five-year commitment to early years work in Chester and its partnership-led approach.
In the local and combined authority category, Alison Connelly from Greater Manchester Combined Authority was recognised for her commitment to ensuring the VCFSE sector is part of commissioning conversations, while Sefton Council Public Health Team was highly commended for its work on neighbourhood health, prevention and partnership. Jane Roberts from NHS Greater Manchester was recognised as Outstanding Commissioner – NHS for her advocacy for the sector, transparent approach and commitment to sustainable partnerships.
These examples demonstrate what the awards are about, recognising funders and commissioners who listen to the sector, work alongside VCFSE organisations and create the conditions for communities to benefit.
The awards are also part of our wider fair funding work.
By sharing positive experiences of funding and commissioning, nominations help build our understanding of what good practice looks like across the North West. This insight will help inform our ongoing work to advocate for stronger, fairer and more sustainable relationships between the VCFSE sector, commissioners and funders.
We want to hear about the approaches that are making a difference, whether that’s providing greater flexibility, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, recognising the value of community organisations, supporting financial resilience or building long-term partnerships.
Your nomination can help us celebrate good practice while also helping to build the case for more of it.
