Deadline: 14-Apr-2023
This Small grant fund, administered by Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation (BLCF) on behalf of Luton Rising is now open for entries.
Objectives
Luton Rising Small Grants provides short term funding to not-for-profit groups that can deliver in Luton against the main objectives of this fund. Applicants are expected to show, in a proportionate manner, how their project contributes to the objectives. If you are not sure if ythe project falls within these objectives, please call, and speak to one of their team who will advise.
The main objectives and outcomes are:
- Securing a strong economic recovery from COVID-19, which protects jobs, incomes and businesses and enables them to build a more inclusive economy
- A skilled workforce that meets the needs of local employers.
- More of their residents in high-value, well-paid jobs within Luton.
- Diversifying the economy by supporting and growing key sectors including the green economy, digital, creative industries, manufacturing, and aviation.
- A thriving town centre, with the right mix of office, retail, residential and leisure space.
- More money spent locally, with increased social value from the public sector and anchor institutions.
- Protecting the most disadvantaged in the town by prioritising services and interventions that focus on prevention, alleviate the impact of poverty, and reduce health inequalities
- Better and more equal healthy life expectancy for residents across Luton.
- More of the households will live in good quality and secure housing.
- More of the families will be financially sustainable and fewer will experience being in crisis.
- Greater support for mental wellbeing and reduced social isolation for people of all ages.
- A safer community with fewer cases of domestic abuse, serious youth violence, and drug and alcohol related harm.
- Making Luton a child-friendly town, where the children and young people grow up feeling happy, healthy, and secure, with a voice that matters and the opportunities they need to thrive.
- All the children and young people will be able to access services that keep them safe and secure.
- Reduced health inequalities for all the children and young people.
- Children and young people with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) will have the same opportunities as non-disabled children and young people.
- Excellent educational outcomes and increased aspiration and achievement for the children and young people.
- The young people will have a voice that is heard and that matters.
- Becoming a greener and more sustainable town, to meet the long-term ambition to be carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2040 a) reduced net carbon emissions from organisations and households.
- Better air quality enjoyed by people across Luton.
- A greener transport network that supports employment and increased use of sustainable travel across Luton.
- Increased walking and cycling by residents, workers, and visitors in the town.
- The most sustainable airport in the UK
- A strong and empowered community supporting fairness, equality and local pride and speaking with a powerful voice
- A town built on fairness with equitable outcomes for all the residents.
- A continually cohesive community where the residents get along well with each other.
- A meaningful voice for all the residents to shape the vision and direction of the town.
- Increased social responsibility and civic pride throughout the community.
- A thriving voluntary and community sector that enables the residents to support themselves and each other.
Funding Information
- Grants of up to £10,000 can be considered, generally but not necessarily limited to one year only to support community and voluntary activity in Luton.
- A limited number of grants of up to £25,000 may also be considered and application for these will be subject to a separate bidding process.
Eligibility Criteria
The Foundation is only able to consider applications from not-for-profit constituted groups that have clear charitable aims. In order to be considered for funding, an organisation should be able to demonstrate the following:
- That the activity undertaken directly contributes to the key objectives and outcomes for the funding programme.
- That it has the capacity, knowledge, skills, and restheces to deliver its activities effectively.
- That it is properly constituted according to its form, and is effectively governed and managed with, wherever appropriate, user involvement or participation in the planning, development and management of the organisation and its activities.
- That it is properly financially managed, in good financial health, and not holding an amount of unrestricted funds that is disproportionately high in relation to annual expenditure.
- That it is committed to the promotion of equality, cohesion, and inclusion both within its client group and across the community as a whole, and that this is demonstrated through the way it plans and delivers its activities.
- That its estimate of the funding required to deliver its activities is realistic and reasonable and represents good value for money.
- That it has an effective complaints policy, procedure, or mechanism (if someone complains about the service you provide, how do you deal with it?)
- That, where it deals with children, young people, and vulnerable adults, it has an effective safeguarding policy in place, and that the governing body, staff are thoroughly and regularly trained and monitored to ensure compliance.
- That it has a track record of partnership working, wherever appropriate, with others working in the same, similar, or complementary field of activity.
- That it is not in receipt of any other Luton Rising funds for the same project.
That it recognises that it cannot expect continual funding from Luton Rising, and that it has a track record of, wherever possible, seeking funds from different stheces, has made efforts to become sustainable, and has a clear exit strategy for dealing with a situation where funding stops. If you are applying as part of a consortium, please speak to a member of the Grants team in the first instance. Please note that the organisation that submits the bid will be known as the lead organisation and must be an eligible entity from the list above, this organisation will manage the funds and the outcome monitoring if successful. The lead organisation should have a signed partnership agreement with all the other organisations in the consortium also, which foundation will ask to see a copy of.
For more information, visit BLCF.
For more information, visit https://blcf.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/luton/small-grants-fund/