September 2024 Funding News

Groundwork - Grassroots Grants

Grants of between £500 and £2,000 are available

Application Deadline: 30/09/2024

Background

The Grassroots Grants Programme is provided by the Postcode Local Trust, Postcode Places Trust, and Postcode Society Trust, and is administered by Groundwork.

Objectives of Fund

This fund aims to support flexible, unrestricted grants for small grassroots organisations that are working to make a positive difference in local communities, particularly those working to support marginalised or vulnerable groups.

Who Can Apply

Small, local, constituted voluntary and community organisations, including registered charities, with an annual income of less than £60,000 in the last financial year can apply.

Community interest companies (CICs) can apply if they have been in operating for two years with an asset lock (schedule one and two only).

Priority will be given to organisations that meet the following criteria:

• Have an annual income of £50,000 or under.
• Funding is for work in communities that rank as being within the top 15% on the English Indices of Deprivation.
• Organisations that work with and support communities that are classed as marginalised or vulnerable.

Applicants must provide a copy of their governing document.

Check the website for restrictions.

Eligible Expenditure

Funding is to support the work of groups that provide vital services in their local communities, such as:

• Access to food or basic essentials.
• Improvements to local greenspace.
• Cultural, support, or wellbeing activities.
• Volunteering opportunities to improve the local environment or support other people.

Grants are unrestricted, and can be used flexibly for costs such as:

• Paying staff or volunteer expenses.
• Costs for equipment or materials.
• Core, ongoing running costs of the organisation, such as rent, utilities, and other general running costs.
• Training for staff and volunteers.
• Consultant time to help develop the organisation or key policies.

How To Apply

The deadline for applications is 30 September 2024 (23:59).

Guidance notes and an online application form are available from the Groundwork website.

Useful links

Groundwork - Grassroots Grants
https://www.groundwork.org.uk/grassroots-grants/(External link)

Severn Trent Water NeighbourGOOD Scheme.

Maximum Value £2,500 plus the scheme also offer practical support from teams of 20–30 volunteers for successful applicants.

Application Deadline: 04/10/2024.

Background

The NeighbourGOOD scheme is a new initiative by Severn Trent aimed at empowering local communities. It aims to support projects that make a real difference in the lives of its customers and the neighbourhoods it serves. The scheme will select a different community project to support in every corner of the Severn Trent region.

Objectives of Fund

The scheme offers support in the form of small grants plus dedicated teams of volunteers for hands-on aid to local groups, charities and community project owners in the Severn Trent region for activities that benefit the community.

Winning projects will be voted by the public and one will be selected for each county that Severn Trent Water serves.

Who Can Apply

Applications are accepted from:

• Volunteer/community groups.
• Organisations registered with the Charity Commission.
• Organisations registered with Companies House that are limited by guarantee.
• Local authority or parish councils.
• Foundation schools, colleges or academies.

To be eligible groups must:

• Be not for profit.
• Have a governing document.
• Have a bank account in the name of the organisation with dual authorisation.

The proposed project must be situated within the Severn Trent region, and it should benefit a community that consists of Severn Trent customers. Applicants can use the postcode checker link on the Water UK website to verify their location.

Check the website for restrictions

Eligible Expenditure

Support is for new local initiatives and community projects that address a genuine community need and have a significant impact on improving community wellbeing for people living in the Severn Trent region. The funders are looking for projects that will foster community spirit, promote sustainability and create lasting benefits.

Winning projects will receive the help of 20–30 Severn Trent volunteers across two days as well as grant funding to support in the delivery of their project.

Projects must be completed by 31 March 2025.

How To Apply

The deadline for applications is 4 October 2024.

There is a two-stage selection process. A shortlist of three projects per county in the Severn Trent region will be selected by a panel of county representatives. Then the shortlisted projects will be put forward for public vote and one from each county will receive support.

An online application form and guidance is available on the Severn Trent website.

Contact Severn Trent for further information.

Useful links

WaterUK - Find Your Local Water Supplier
https://www.water.org.uk/advice-for-customers/find-your-supplier/(External link)

Severn Trent NeighbourGOOD Scheme
https://www.stwater.co.uk/about-us/neighbourgood-scheme/(External link)

McCarthy Stone - Christmas Connections

Maximum Value £750

Application Deadline 11/10/2024

Grants are available for charities and community groups who bring together people over 65 living in the more deprived areas of England, Scotland and Wales during the Christmas period.

The Christmas Connections 2024 programme supports organisations in Britain who provide projects to connect older people over the festive period (between 9 December and 2 January).

Funding themes of the foundation are:

• Providing connection and purpose for older people.
• Building intergenerational relationships to bring young and old together.
• Regenerating community spaces that enable connection and engagement for older people.

Who Can Apply

Registered charities, community groups and CICs based in England, Scotland and Wales may apply. Groups must be independent and have a bank account in the organisation's name.

Only organisations with an annual income less than £250,000 may apply.

Applications should demonstrate how the initiative aligns with the McCarthy Stone Foundation priorities. Also, the proposal should show how funding will potentially benefit those over 65 years old in the community plus indicate the potential number of beneficiaries.

Priority will be given to applications working in the more deprived areas in Britain. To ensure an equitable allocation of funds and to help with selection of grant applicants, there is a place-based approach to reviewing grant applications: funding will be prioritised to organisations able to demonstrate they are working in specified locations in Britain and are selected based on data from the ONS, Age UK and the Centre for Ageing Better, with a key focus on areas where income deprivation and loneliness affecting older people is most acute.

Check the website for restrictions.

Eligible Expenditure

Examples of activities that can be funded include:

• The provision of a meal on Christmas Day.
• Group social events.
• Support for day care centres/community spaces providing services over the festive period.

How To Apply

The closing date for applications is now 5pm on 11 October 2024 for notification in October.

The online submission form can be found on the Foundation's website.

Contact the McCarthy Stone Foundation for further information.

Useful links

McCarthy Stone Foundation - Grants Programme
https://mccarthystonefoundation.org/our-grant-programmes/(External link)

npower Business Solutions Foundation

Maximum Value £100,000

Background

The npower Business Solutions (nBS) Foundation is provided by business energy provider npower Business Solutions (nBS) with the aim of giving back to the communities in which it operates.

Objectives of Fund

The funding aims to help create stronger, greener and more sustainable local communities within a 50-mile radius of the npower Business Solutions (nBS) Foundation Leeds and Solihull offices.

Value Notes

Three levels of funding are available depending on the size and turnover of the applicant organisation:

• Level 1 grants of up to £19,999.
• Level 2 grants of up to £39,999.
• Level 3 grants of up to £100,000.

Successful applicants will be paid within three months of the application date, and their project must then be completed within 12 months.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be based within a 50 mile radius of the npower Business Solutions office in either Solihull or Leeds.
• Be a not-for-profit organisation.
• Have been operational for two years.

This includes:

• Not-for-profit companies.
• Registered charities
• Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
• Community Interest Companies (CICs)
• Cooperatives or Community Benefit Societies.
• Schools, Colleges or Universities.

National organisations based outside these areas but with projects located with the 50 mile radius may also be eligible.

Location

West Midlands and Yorkshire: within a 50 mile radius of postcodes B91 3ES or LS15 8ZA

Eligible Expenditure

The funding aims to:

• Improve the environment.
• Forge stronger community bonds.
• Support local educational institutions.
• Encourage responsible business.
• Improve places and spaces.

Eligible projects could include, but are not limited to:

• Energy efficiency and carbon reduction measures
• Waste reduction and recycling initiatives
• Improvements to outdoor environments
• Training programmes that develop local skills and employment opportunities.

How To Apply

Two short videos on the npower Business Solutions Foundation website provide further details on who can apply and how to apply.

Contact Charis Grants Ltd for further information

Useful links

npower Business Solutions Foundation

https://npowerbusinesssolutions.com/foundation(External link)

Cash4Clubs

Maximum Value £2,000

Application Deadline: 12/11/2024

Background

Set up in 2008, Cash4Clubs is a grant programme funded by Flutter UK & Ireland, part of Flutter Entertainment, the global sports betting, gaming and entertainment provider. For this reason, groups must have adult members (18+) in order to be eligible for funding.

Cash4Clubs is working with Sported, the UK's largest network of community sports groups, to get the funds to the clubs who need it most.

Objectives of Fund

The funding aims to support the sustainability of local sports clubs, thereby ensuring more people have access to local sports.

This year's focus is on supporting adult clubs. Funding will be offered to community groups that support over 18’s only, with an emphasis on 18-25 year olds. You cannot apply if your organisation or club runs junior activities.

Priority will be given to applications that:

• Increase participation in sport and/or physical activity for one or more underrepresented groups, including women and girls over 18, people with disabilities, those from racially diverse communities, from the LGBTQ+ community or from lower socio-economic groups.
• Encourage people who would not usually engage in sport to take part, such as providing activities that support physical and mental wellbeing or tackle issues such as loneliness.
• Address broader social issues for the local community, eg, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, homelessness, or connecting communities.

Priority will be given to groups based in areas of high deprivation (Indices of Multiple Deprivation 1-3).

Who Can Apply

Applications are accepted from not-for-profit organisations, including charities, community groups and traditional sports clubs.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

• Be either registered charities or clubs with a structured governance and constitution.
• Demonstrate that they are using sport for wider social purposes and aiming to increase participation of adults from underrepresented groups. There is particular interest in reaching groups working in areas of higher deprivation.

See website for restrictions.

Eligible Expenditure

The funding is unrestricted and can be used for anything that will support the organisation to continue and/or grow their activities in their local community.

Typical examples of costs might include a contribution towards:

• Venue hire
• Utilities such as heating or lighting
• Coaching costs
• Volunteer expenses
• Equipment
• Kit
• Marketing and communications
• Training and qualifications
• Insurances and affiliations

How To Apply

The fund will open for applications on 12 September 2024 and close on 12 November 2024. The fund may close early if a large volume of applications are received. The website will be updated if the fund needs to close early. Applicants are advised to check the website regularly for any updates.

The guidelines and information on the application process are available on the Cash4Clubs website.

Contact the Sported team for further information.

Useful links

Cash4Clubs
https://cash-4-clubs.com/(External link)

Cash4Clubs 2024
https://thehub.sported.org.uk/cash4clubs.html(External link)

Groundwork - One Stop Community Partnership Programme

Maximum Value £1,000

Application Deadline: 25/10/2024

Background

The One Stop Community Partnership programme is administered by Groundwork working in partnership with One Stop Stores Ltd.

The programme provides partnership as well as financial assistance. Alongside an initial grant, a long-term tailored programme of support is created for successful applicants by the One Stop Community Team and One Stop Store Team. Grant recipients then work in partnership with the One Stop Store Team at their local shop to deliver this programme.

Objectives of Fund

The programme is designed to create a partnership of support to community groups, operating within two miles of a One Stop store, who are working to:

• Tackle food poverty.
• Support the vulnerable.
• Support the elderly.
• Support low income families.
• Running youth sports teams.
• Reducing/recycling waste
• Improving the environment

Who Can Apply

The following organisations may apply:

• Voluntary and community organisations.
• Registered charities.
• Schools.
• Health bodies.
• Parish/Town councils.
• Social enterprises.
• Community Interest Companies (running for a minimum of two years).
• Community councils.
• Local authorities.
• Housing organisations.

Applications from organisations such as women's refuges, food banks, hospices, homeless charities, charities supporting the elderly or children are typically welcome. However, this list is not exhaustive and other organisational types will be funded.

Eligible Expenditure

The tailored support from the store teams will help community causes to increase or improve their service by assisting in areas such as but not limited to; volunteering support, fundraising and awareness-raising.

How To Apply

The deadline for applications is:

• 25 October 2024.

It is expected that decisions will be communicated within three weeks of the deadline.

A further application rounds is expected to open between 2 December 2024 to 24 January 2025. There are typically four application rounds each year.

Before starting an application, applicants should first use the Store Locator, available on the Groundwork website, to check the distance to the local One Stop store and whether funding is currently available there. Please note that not all stores offer this programme.

Guidance notes are available on the Groundwork website. An online application form is available, but organisations must first register with Flexi Grant for an account. Instructions are provided in the guidance notes.

Contact Groundwork for further information.

Useful links

Groundwork - One Stop Community Partnership
https://www.groundwork.org.uk/one-stop-community-partnership/