Call for Applications: Small Capital Project Grant (UK)

Deadline: 7-Feb-25

The Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is inviting applications for the Small Capital Project Grant to enable small high quality capital projects that could bring significant benefit to the Borough.

Objectives

• Applications must demonstrate how their project meets at least three of the following Programme Objectives:
  • Build capacity and skills
  • Increase opportunities for volunteering
  • Improve facilities, access or services
  • Increase social inclusion
  • Reduce social isolation
  • Increase the utilisation of a facility or service
  • Attract a new or larger participant group
  • Contribute to community, sport or arts development
  • Reduce the running costs for a service or facility (eg improve energy efficiency of a venue)

Funding Information

• Funding size: Up to £2,500.

Eligible Projects

• This programme is being offered to fund:
  • Capital works projects
  • Equipment
  • Technical assistance related to a capital works project up to and including design stage

Ineligible Projects

• Have no significant benefit to the Council area;
• Provide no potential benefit to the public, either in the short or long term;
• Could be carried out on a commercial basis;
• Have already taken place or are already under way at the time of the assessment;
• Duplicate what already exists;
• Are fundraising events or activities;
• Are of a party political nature;
• Promote a particular religion;
• Are against Council policy.

Eligible Costs

• New facilities eg community venues, pitches
• Professional & legal fees associated with capital spend on the planned project (NB excludes fees for land purchase)
• Land purchase (NB you will be required to utilise a Valuer nominated by Council and meet all associated costs including legal costs)
• Renovation works (e.g. extension, refurbishment, modernisation, conversion, flooring, ground improvement works, lighting, electrical rewiring, plumbing and heating works) required for the delivery of the project
• Non recoverable VAT
• Purchase of fixtures & fittings related to the project
• Renovations or provision to promote enhanced Child Protection and/or Disability Access to enable greater participation in community life
• Capital expenditure to facilitate the provision of mobile services in rural areas
• Cost incurred in complying with any related Health & Safety Regulations
• Energy efficiency measures
• Measures to reduce maintenance costs (e.g. bore well)
• Development of a business plan or feasibility study related to a future project directly linked to the group’s core activity
• Programme equipment
• Maintenance equipment

Ineligible Costs

• General:
  • Any costs or projects which are clearly another statutory agency’s responsibility. In certain exceptional cases, where need can be clearly identified and there are compelling reasons why the statutory body concerned cannot fund an important project, Council may take a more flexible approach and fund in partnership with other statutory bodies.
  • Projects outside the Council area.
  • Costs incurred prior to a funding offer from Council (retrospective funding).
  • Costs which are not clearly linked to the project.
  • Costs that are poor value for money, or that are purchased from outside of Council procurement guidelines.
  • Costs that are already covered by other funding or income sources.
  • Costs that can be recovered from elsewhere, e.g. VAT.
  • Payments made to any members of the applicant group or organisation.
• Specific:
  • Ongoing maintenance costs (eg painting) where it is a standalone project
  • Murals
  • Sculptures
  • Commemorative projects eg gardens, gates, memorials
  • Flag poles and flags
  • Entrance features to housing estates

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications will only be accepted from formally constituted, community managed, and autonomous organisations. Such organisations should be not-for-personal profit, with wider community interests at heart, working at a local community level. The organisation’s governing document must clearly state that:
  • Membership is inclusive of the identified community and open to its full range of opinion;
  • Each year the organisation holds an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at which each member has an equal vote;
  • The organisation has a management committee or board of directors which is appointed at the AGM using a clear democratic process for the selection of members i.e. election;
  • The committee/board presents the report for the year at the AGM;
  • An annual statement of accounts is presented at the AGM.
• The basic eligibility criteria are that projects must:
  • Have a clearly identified need.
  • Be able to deliver outcomes which meet this need.
  • Fit with a clear corporate objective or priority of Council.
  • Be delivered by a credible organisation with the capacity to deliver the project as stated.
  • Meet the specific programme objectives.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Council will not consider applications from:
  • Organisations that – discriminate against any particular racial group, political grouping or religious body; – are in poor financial health or cannot show effective financial control; – are not prepared to share learning from their project with Council and other relevant groups.
  • Individuals (only constituted groups/organisations can apply for funding).
  • Commercial organisations (except social enterprise).
  • Statutory organisations (except through a partnership arrangement with Council where key priority outcomes are delivered).

For more information, visit ABC Borough Council.