Are you involved in an exciting, innovative project to tackle fuel poverty in your local community?

NEA, British Gas and the Department of Energy and Climate Change are inviting applications to the Community Action Awards, which recognise best practice amongst those who are working to tackle fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency in their local communities. The scheme is running from 2014-16 with a total of 25 awards made to community groups, third sector organisations, health agencies, local authorities and other public and not-for-profit organisations in England and Wales that demonstrate innovative approaches to tackling fuel poverty

Winners will receive £1,500 to develop or enhance their project; a free place at the NEA Annual Conference; and practical and financial support to hold a community celebration event.

The published deadlines are:
Phase 3 -  17 April 2015
Phase 4 – 2 October 2015
Phase 5 – 8 January 2016
  
For further information and to apply go to www.nea.org.uk/communityactionawards or contact Nina Dunlavy on 0191 269 2935

North Wessex Downs LEADER Rural Development Funding is on its way!

The North Wessex Downs Local Action Group has announced that its bid for new funding from Defra has been approved (subject to contracts being agreed).  They have secured 2.132m Euros to run a new LEADER Programme between 2015 and 2020.  
Funding will be available for farmers, foresters, community enterprises and rural-based businesses and there will be six priorities for investment:
• Farming productivity
• Micro and small businesses (including farm diversification)
• Tourism / the visitor economy
• Forestry productivity
• Rural services and connectivity and
• Culture and heritage. 

North Wessex Downs LAG are working with Defra to confirm programme rules, the application process and new forms.

If you have a business development or community project idea which will improve the rural economy and quality of life for people locally please get in contact with them. They are keen to understand your plans and timescales and how they might be able to help. 

They have extended the boundary of our area for LEADER funding so more villages, farms and woodland will be potentially eligible for funding – please check their website for the new map.  If your project falls outside their area it may well fall within a neighbouring LEADER area so check the link here which takes you to the government website showing all the Local Action Groups which will be running a LEADER programme from the summer: https://www.gov.uk/rural-development-programme-for-england-leader-funding 

To find out more or talk through your ideas please contact the Programme Manager, Dawn Hamblin, on: nwdleaderprogramme@wiltshire.gov.uk  or 01488 680458.  

Community Funds Available

Aviva Community Fund

Support making a positive impact in your community. Funding ranges from £1,000 - £25,000. For further information please click here.

Waitrose and John Lewis Community Matters

Financial support for local community groups. Funding share of £1000 - £3000. For further information go into your local store. Customers vote with the tokens they receive when shopping.


Nationwide
A Community fund to support projects near to local branches. Fill out the form online be click here. There is no specific criteria but Nationwide favour causes linked to housing, financial, education and money management. 

Grants and Funds for the New Financial Year

My Community - free advice and grants to be had

You have powers to make a difference in your area - saving local pubs, shops and community centres. Support and grants for developing your area through neighbourhood planning and buildings for your community are available, help with owning and managing local land and buildings, running services and boosting the local economy opens on 1 April.
Visit: mycommunity.org.uk for information, resources, advice and grants.

The Power to Change Trust

The Power to Change is an independent charitable trust endowed with £150m from the Big Lottery Fund to support community businesses across England. Power to Change was to back people to build successful community businesses for the benefit of their local places.

For information please click here

BBC Children in Need

BBC Children in Needs Main Grants programme is open to charities and not-for-profit organisations applying for grants over £10,000 a year for up to three years. Grants are aimed at children and young people of 18 years and under who are experiencing disadvantage through:

1. Illness, distress, abuse or neglect
2. Any kind of disability
3. Behavioural or psychological difficulties
4. Living in poverty or situations of deprivation

More information available here

Community Sport Activation Fund

The kind or projects Sports England expect to fund include;

• activities reflecting a broad range of sports
• informal opportunities which could lead to regular participation
• multi-sport activities which provide people with a range of choices and opportunities to suit them
• family orientated activities with a focus on the 14 plus age group
• local activator roles that focus on directly organising and delivering new opportunities for participation

Projects can be up to three years and grant awards will range from £50,000 to £250,000. For further information please click here.

Energy Funds

The Rural Community Energy Fund (RCEF) supports rural communities in England to develop renewable energy projects that provide economic and social benefits to the community. The fund will provide up to around £150,000 of funding for feasibility and pre-planning development work to help projects become investment ready. More information available here.

Urban Community Energy Fund (UCEF) is the urban counterpart to the RCEF. It is a £10m fund to kick-start renewable energy generation projects in urban communities across England. Community groups will be able to access grants and loans to support renewable energy developments. For further information please click here.

Heritage Project Grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)

The HLF funds project which focus on heritage. HLF offer a range of different grant programmes with grants from £3,000 to over £5m. In assessing applications, HLF take account of the broad range of outcomes for heritage, people and communities that projects will achieve. For further information on the range of grants available please click here.

Information courtesy of NALC briefing

Awards for All Funding: Get your application in tip-top shape

Do you have an idea for a project, but you just need that extra little bit of support to get your application at its best? 

The Big Lottery's Awards for All team have been busy analysing past applications and have compiled a handy list of the top 8 most common mistakes to avoid when applying to Awards for All.

If you want to get your application off to the best possible start, have a read of these and get your project assessed on its merits, not its mistakes.

Find out more about Awards For All by clicking here.

Building Better Opportunities: New funding to tackle economic inequality in Berkshire

 
The Building Better Opportunities programme is jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Big Lottery to deliver projects that promote social inclusion and tackle poverty in line with the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP priorities of:

• Overcoming barriers to employment
• Addressing root causes of poverty and improving financial confidence
• Promoting a dynamic and inclusive rural economy
• Troubled families

To find out more directly from the Big Lottery Fund and Thames Valley Berkshire LEP come along to the Building Better Opportunities Conference at Green Park Conference Centre on 9th March 2015 at Green Park Conference Centre from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

For an agenda and to register a place: www.rva.org.uk/event/building-better-opportunities-conference

West Berkshire Community Education Fund

West Berkshire Council is pleased to invite bids for Round 28 of the Community Education Fund for projects to be delivered by 31st July 2015. This fund is focused on developing Community Learning and Skills opportunities for adults and families in West Berkshire.  

There are two funding strands available:

• Community Learning supports non-accredited learning which aims to maximise access to learning for adults and families bringing new opportunities, improving lives and communities whatever people’s circumstances
• Adult Skills supports qualifications which address local needs aimed at adults without Level 2 qualifications or those who are unemployed and on active benefits 

For more information and to download a bid form please go to www.westberks.gov.uk/cef. All bids must be sent to aclteam@westberks.gov.uk by 5pm 25th February  2015.  
  
If you require any additional information or would like to discuss your bid ideas, please contact a member of the Community Learning team on 01635 519060.