Deadline: 31-Jul-22
The Marshes Community Benefit Fund (MCBF) Grant Program is now open for applications.
Purposes
The MCBF is intended to be open to any community project which is for the benefit of local community residents:
- Projects to improve public amenities (e.g. community sports halls)
- Footpath improvements, cycle paths
- Environmental and wildlife projects (e.g. public park improvements)
- Energy efficiency or sustainability projects such as additional insulation/generation/storage
- Activities / events to engage the local community
Funding Information
- Frodsham Wind Farm Limited is committed to providing an annual Community Benefit Fund (‘CBF’) of £120,000 for community projects. Payment is made in two instalments of £60,000.
- The Marshes Community Benefit Fund (MCBF) Panel will control the administration of the CBF will allow groups and organisations to apply for awards of between £250 and £60,000 from the CBF.
- For applications seeking grants in excess of [£2,000], priority will be given to organisations that can demonstrate that they will also be making a contribution towards the project. This contribution might be money from the group itself, a grant from another fund that has been secured or another pending grant application. It may also be a benefit-in-kind of labour and / or materials.
Location: Projects for which grants are requested should be located within the defined CBF area.
Eligibility Criteria
- The sorts of organisations that may apply include:
- Voluntary and community groups
- Parish and Town Councils
- Cheshire West and Chester Council (if it is applying on behalf of an existing community organisation and is delivering a project that has originated directly from the community – evidence of this will be required)
- Charities that are delivering local services / support
- Schools and educational establishments (delivering projects outside of the LEA requirements)
- Social enterprises (e.g. co-operatives, development trusts) that operate on a not-for-profit basis
- All applicants will be required to have a written constitution, a set of rules, or a governing document and will have to have a bank or building society account with a minimum of two signatories in place before applying for a grant from the MCBF.
- Successful applicants are not able to re-apply for another grant within any 12-month period unless as part of a ‘large’ project for which multi-year funding has been agreed by the Panel.
Exclusions
A full copy of the exclusions for the MCBF can be downloaded from the project website, but examples include:
- Commercial organisations
- Private membership-based sports clubs and facilities
- Projects that will only benefit one individual
- Projects that are religious in focus or that support a party political campaign
- Retrospective funding for works already undertaken
- Works considered a statutory responsibility, such as improvements to public highways or car parks.
For more information, visit https://www.marshescbf.uk/apply/