Comic Relief Local Communities Programme

 

Comic Relief Local Communities Programme -   Grants of £1,000 to £10,000 (inclusive) available through Berkshire Community Foundation

The programme aims to empower local people, enabling them to create lasting change in their communities.  Projects  should be run  by people directly affected by the issues they are dealing with and priority will be given to small, locally based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community.

Under the programme, organisations can apply for funding to:

• ·         increase local services,
• ·         build skills of local people,
• ·         increase community cohesion
• ·         respond to local economic needs

 (For this round only, BCF aim to spend at least 50% of the money available, on projects which ‘increase access to sport and exercise for people who face social exclusion and isolation').

Organisations which have received a Community Cash grant or any other grant from a Community Foundation can apply for a Local Communities grant. However organisations which hold a grant directly from Comic Relief, can not apply for a Local Communities Grant.   A Local Communities grant must be at least 30% of the total cost of the project. 
Please complete an expression of interest form found on Berkshire Community Foundations website  http://www.berkshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant
Deadline for applications 16th September 2013

NEW: Funding news - music, encouraging the youth and supporting the local community

The Brit Trust

The British Record Industry Trust is entirely funded by the music industry. The BRIT Trust considers all applications which meet the criteria within its mission statement 'to encourage young people in the exploration and pursuit of educational, cultural or therapeutic benefits emanating from music'. Applications are only considered annually at a Trust meeting in September so need to be submitted by the end of August.

The Ernest Cook Trust

Schools, registered charities and not-for-profit organisations wishing to encourage young people's interest either in the countryside and the environment, the arts or aiming to raise levels of literacy and numeracy can apply for funding to the Ernest Cook Trust. Meetings to consider applications for the small grants programme take place bi-monthly throughout the year.

Post Office Community Enterprise Fund

DCLG have launched a joint competition with Post Office Ltd to encourage sub postmasters to work with local people to come up with innovative ways that post offices can support the local community.  Post Office branches (excluding Crown branches) can apply to receive up to £10,000 to support a new scheme or service for their local community.

Story courtesy of NAVCA

NEW Grant Programme to Buy Local Community Assets in England

The new £4.75 million Community Assets and Services Grants Programme is accepting Expressions of Interest from local community organisations in England that need funding to acquire or restore a local building.

Organisations that are established for charitable, benevolent or philanthropic purposes and are based and working in England can apply for Capital Grants of between £100,000 and £500,000 as long as they can spend the grant by the end of March 2014.
In order to be eligible, applications will need to meet at least one of this year’s themes:

• Community Assets - Under the Hammer: to facilitate competitive bidding for land and buildings to make use of the Right to Bid.
• Equity Matching Scheme: to match fund monies solicited direct from communities or via community share issues supported by the Community Shares Unit.
• Exercise Your Rights: to facilitate the use of two (or more) of the various legal mechanisms in tandem.
• How Green is Your Asset: Green refurbishment grants to improve the viability of land or buildings acquired by communities through Asset Transfer and/or the Right to Bid.

The funding is aimed at organisations that can demonstrate scale, ambition and innovation in the following ways:

• As an exemplar to inspire other organisations to be ambitious, for example, through demonstrating innovation in acquiring a particular type of asset, the nature and needs of the community the asset is designed to serve, or innovation in the type of business or service that will be delivered from the asset. 
• Demonstrates potential to stimulate similar community asset schemes elsewhere.
• Using asset acquisition to achieve transformative community-led service delivery or to showcase pioneering community-led planning outcomes.

The deadline for Expressions of Interest is 30 August 2013.
The Community Assets and Services Grants programme is being managed by the Social Investment Business (SIB) Group and its partners Locality and ACEVO on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government. SIB manages the grant funds while Locality and ACEVO deliver the advice and support element of the programme. The programme will run for three years.
Full details along with an application pack can be found on the SIB website (opens new window).

Story courtesy of J4Bcommunity.co.uk

Funding news

Newman's Own Foundation

Newman's Own Foundation is to make grants totalling £163,800 to registered UK charities that support children with life-limiting conditions. It will make grants of up to £32,750 each. The deadline for applications is 1 August.  

Jeans for Genes

Jeans for Genes Day raises money for Genetic Disorders UK and aims to change the world for children with genetic disorders. Jeans for Genes Day takes place on Friday 20th September 2013. Genetic Disorders UK is accepting new applications for the 2014 Grant Programme.

Momentum Music Fund

The Arts Council & PRS have launched a new scheme aimed at developing artists and bands. If you are looking to record some music in the near future then you might be able to access between £5,000 and £15,000 through The Momentum Music Fund. Application deadlines: 30 August, 11 October and 24 January.

Stories courtesy of NAVCA

Sustainable Development Fund is Open for New Projects

Sustainable Development Fund is Open for New Projects - Over £1.4 million boost for local economy to date

The North Wessex Downs Sustainable Development Fund (SDF), now in its seventh successful year, has thus far helped to inject £1.4 million into the local economy. And we are looking now for new projects to fund.

The SDF scheme is funded by Defra and was launched in 2005. Our aim is to develop and test innovative methods of achieving sustainability and to raise awareness, understanding and appreciation of the unique qualities and sensitivities of the North Wessex Downs.
 
The fund has supported a wide variety of schemes by providing grants to organisations, businesses, community groups and individuals, all wishing to explore and develop practical projects that conserve and enhance the local environment, develop local economic activity or promote local produce and products.

There is a streamlined assessment process for grants below £1,000, while the average grant awarded is currently between £1,000 and £5,000. Larger grants may be considered in the case of exceptional projects. The SDF grant will normally be not more than 75% of total project expenditure.

If you have an idea for a project, please visit the Sustainable Development Fund pages on the North Wessex Downs website.

Families Matter funding available

 

Families Matter is a funding and support programme run by Warburtons (the bread people), which aims to ensure that they support the local communities they serve. One of the key elements of Families Matter is a financial giving programme, which offers a range of grant and project support: They have publicised the following guidance for interested groups...

Grants: £0 - £250, available nationwide. Community grants are for small sums of money, that can be used for something specific that will benefit the cause you support. e.g. Buying equipment, supporting a community day etc.

Projects: £251 - £20,000, available within 15 miles of Warburtons sites Funding for community projects is for a clear, identifiable project that can be attributed to our support. You will be able to identify and report on the impact, in an in-depth manner.

For more information, including how to apply and a list of Warburtons sites, please click here.

NEW: Final round of funding for protecting playing fields

The final round for the National Lottery funding to improve community sports fields in England is now open. They are one of the most important resources for sport in England, but many are waterlogged or in a state of disrepair. There are five funding rounds of £3 million each. The first four rounds have benefited 235 projects who have been able to either create new natural turf pitches or improve existing ones that needed leveling or drainage works. The maximum grant available is £50,000. The latest round opened in June and closes on 5 August 2013.

Find out more at Sport England

NEW: Over £4 million to help communities to save their local buildings

 

Capital grants between £100,000 and £500,000 are available to organisations ready to take the next step in acquiring a local asset. 

Organisations with innovative and ambitious plans for community asset ownership will be able to apply for these grants till 30 August 2013 which will help with its purchase. Applications will need to meet at least one of the following themes:

• Community Assets – Under the Hammer: to facilitate competitive bidding for land and
buildings to make use of the Right to Bid.
• Equity matching Scheme: to match - fund monies solicited direct from communities or via
community share issues supported by the Community Shares Unit.
• Exercise Your Rights : to facilitate the use of two (or more) of the various legal mechanisms
in tandem.
• How Green is Your Asset: Green refurbishment grants to improve the viability of land or
buildings acquired by communities through Asset Transfer and/or the Right to Bid.

Organisations interested in the Community Assets and Services Grant products are advised to
contact the Community Rights Advice Service at mycommunityrights.org.uk or call 0845 345 4564 to assess their suitability for the Fund. Information on criteria for funding is available at
sibgroup.org.uk/communityrights

Cory Environmental Trust

 t

Cory Environmental Trust in Britain is celebrating its 10th anniversary by offering  one local community project the chance to secure a £100,000 grant. The Trust was set up to distribute cash raised from landfill tax to environmental or community organisations within ten miles of Cory Environmental Limited's landfill sites. Three deserving projects which reach a wide number of people will be shortlisted to present their proposals to the Trust in September, when the winning bid will be announced. Deadline 19 July.

Children in Need small grants

BBC Children in Need provides grants to support work with children and young people experiencing disadvantage through illness, distress, abuse or neglect any kind of disability behavioural or psychological difficulties living in poverty or situations of deprivation. Next deadline 1st September 2013.

Rural Community Energy Fund opens to applications

The RCEF is specifically targeted at helping rural communities access the money needed to carry out feasibility studies into renewable energy projects, and fund the costs associated with applying for planning permission. 

It is intended that projects will then be able to attract private finance to pay for renewable energy kit and get projects up and running. Funding can be used to support rural projects across the renewable and low carbon energy spectrum including wind, solar, biomass, heat pumps, anaerobic digestion, gas Combined Heat and Power and hydro.

Find out more at GOV.UK