For 18-year-old Lacie, applying to become a Decision Maker is about more than taking part in a...
For Marie, applying to become a Decision Maker was about being part of the positive change she is starting to see across Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire.
A lifelong resident of the area and founder of Modern Matriarchs CIC, Marie has spent years supporting people through both her professional and voluntary work.
Her organisation focuses on empowering women across North East Lincolnshire by creating safe spaces where people can connect, build confidence and help strengthen their communities.
Alongside this, Marie brings 14 years of experience in health and social care, as well as experience working in housing and the voluntary sector since the age of 15.
Community has always been at the centre of her work.
That is one of the reasons she decided to apply to become a Decision Maker for the Growing Together Fund.
Marie believes there is a growing sense of change happening locally.
For many years, conversations about Grimsby often focused heavily on loss, particularly around the decline of the fishing industry.
But Marie feels the town is beginning to shift its mindset.
She spoke positively about the growth of renewable energy opportunities, the strength of grassroots organisations and the increasing number of local people stepping forward to improve the community from the ground up.
For her, that grassroots energy matters.
She believes real change happens when local people are involved in shaping the future of their own communities.
Historically, Marie feels many funding decisions were made without local people fully understanding the process or having visibility over how decisions were reached.
The Decision Maker approach feels different.
Through the Growing Together Fund, local people are being invited to help review shortlisted projects and recommend which ideas receive support.
The aim is to bring together people from different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives so decision-making feels more connected to the community itself.
Marie believes this creates not only greater transparency, but also greater trust.
She also understands why some people might hesitate before putting themselves forward.
Many smaller organisations and community members can feel overlooked in traditional funding environments, especially when competing against larger organisations with more resources and experienced bid writers.
That is why she believes initiatives like Give it a Go are important.
They help open doors to people who may not normally see themselves as part of these conversations.
When asked what she would say to someone considering becoming a Decision Maker, Marie’s message was simple.
“Just go for it.”
She believes there is nothing to lose and a great deal to gain from the experience.
Not only through learning more about the community and how funding decisions are made, but also through hearing different perspectives and being part of something positive locally.
Marie is passionate about creating more positive conversations around North East Lincolnshire.
Alongside her community work, she also created a Facebook group called “Positive North East Lincolnshire” to help create a space focused on encouragement, pride and local positivity.
Because despite the challenges the area faces, Marie believes there are also many good people doing good things.
And she wants more people to feel part of that story.
By applying to become a Decision Maker, Marie hopes to help create a funding process that feels more inclusive, transparent and community-led.
One where ordinary local people feel their voice matters.
Because communities become stronger when more people are involved in shaping them.
If you live, work or study in Grimsby and would like to apply to become a Decision Maker, you can find out more here:
https://growingtogetherfund.org.uk
