Up to £200k grants are available to local not-for-profit organisations for local projects that support the wellbeing of communities in the Severn Trent region. Three levels of grants are available:
- £2,000 to £10,000 – up to 12 months for project completion.
- £10,001 to £75,000 – up to 24 months for project completion.
- £75,001 to £200,000 – up to 24 months for project completion.
Applications for more than £10,000 will only be considered from a registered charity, a business registered with Companies House, a local authority or parish council. Applications for more than £75,000 must have a considerable link to all three of the wellbeing themes: people, place and environment. Registered not-for-profit organisations with a governing document can apply. This includes but is not limited to:
- Local authority or parish council.
- Organisations registered with the Charity Commission.
- Organisations registered with Companies House that are limited by guarantee.
- Volunteer or community group.
- Foundation school, college or academy.
The funding is intended for projects that link to at least one of the three key elements of community wellbeing:
- People – projects that support healthier lifestyles and skills development.
- Place – projects that help create better places for communities.
- Environment – projects that improve access to and promote a healthier natural environment, including the preservation of water.
Those applying for over £75,000 must combine all three of these themes to be eligible.
There is also interest in applications for projects that have a connection to water (although not essential). This might mean creating sustainable drainage, installing grey water recycling or creating water efficient green spaces.
Application will be assessed and scored against the following criteria:
- Community need: Is there a significant need for the project in the community and evidence of good engagement with the community during planning?
- Planning: Is the project planned well with a detailed and robust budget breakdown and have relevant permissions been considered, eg land ownership? Have risks (including changing costs of materials) been anticipated and mitigated?
- Sustainability: How will the project be sustained and bring benefit beyond the investment period? How will the applicant ensure the project will still be running in a few years’ time and will not just rely on future investment?
- Value for money: Is the amount requested good value compared to the number of beneficiaries and overall impact of the project? Are costs expensive or inflated? Does the project seem like good value for money in comparison to similar projects?
The funding can be used for both capital and revenue projects as long as the project can evidence it will be sustained. The grants can support the following:
- Labour required for the set-up of the project.
- Running costs of the project, e.g, stationery, room hire, marketing etc.
- Skills training and other course costs.
- Administration costs directly associated with the project.
- Capital costs of improving a site or building.
- Costs directly associated with the beneficiaries/volunteers’ involvement in the project, eg, travel costs, childcare, subsistence while taking part in project activities.
Applications are open. The next deadlines for applications are:
- 10 July 2024 for requests of £2,000–£10,000 (for consideration at the August panel).
- 11 August 2024 for requests of £10,001–£200,000 (for consideration at the September panel).
- 13 October 2024 for requests of £2,000–£10,000 (for consideration at the November panel).
- 10 November 2024 for requests of £10,001–£200,000 (for consideration at the December panel).
- 12 January 2024 for requests of £2,000–£10,000 (for consideration at the February panel).
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