Deadline: 10-Jan-23
The South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation is seeking applications for its SYCF Community Grants Programme.
The SYCF Community Grants Programme is made up of several funds provided by generous local donors. It is intended to support community groups and organisations across South Yorkshire, especially smaller, developing or less well-resourced organisations and grass-roots groups, where small amounts of funding can make a real difference.
Many funders, including South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation, are keen to find out what difference their grant funds make – how it improves things for people and communities.
Aims and Priorities
They fund organisations working to improve lives and strengthen local communities.
During the current cost of living crisis, they are particularly keen to fund organisations tackling poverty, homelessness and other issues arising from disadvantage.
They want to fund organisations which will make a difference in their local neighbourhood, especially to the issues identified as priorities by local communities:
- Crime and safety;
- Disadvantage and inequality;
- Work and the local economy;
- Health & well-being, including mental health.
How much can you apply for?
Up to £5,000, to be spent within one year.
Where can you spend the money on?
Anything that delivers the impact for your community! It can be:
- Capital work (e.g., equipment, building works or repairs, provided you own or lease the building/land being built on or repaired);
- OR revenue, including room hire, volunteer expenses, sessional staff or salaries (e.g., extra hours for an existing staff member, or a short-term contract);
- OR service provision, including e.g., materials, practical and specialist support for groups and activities.
If your application includes staff costs, they encourage you to pay at least the real living Wage.
Don’t forget to include a fair share of overheads like rent or room hire, utilities, and admin or management costs needed to support your project.
What cannot be funded?
Community Grants cannot be awarded to fund:
- For-profit organisations, statutory organisations (e.g., schools and hospitals) or overseas organisations;
- Organisations with an income over £200,000 last year;
- Retrospective funding (activity and costs that have already taken place or repayment of money which has already been spent);
- Overseas trips or expeditions;
- Grant-making to other organisations and/or individuals;
- Organisations or activities primarily for the benefit of animals rather than people;
- Activity that promotes a particular political or religious point of view.
They can fund religious organisations (like a church, mosque or gurdwara) delivering activity which benefits the community (like running a food bank), but they cannot fund religious services or activity intended to promote a particular religion.
If activity is intended to target a particular group of people (ethnicity, gender, religion, etc.) there should be a good reason for this, for example if this is the best way to redress an existing inequality or to ensure services reach a group which would otherwise be underserved or marginalized.
Eligibility Criteria
Community Grants are for grass-roots community organisations in South Yorkshire. This includes charities, community groups, clubs and not-for-profit social enterprises. To be eligible for a grant you must:
- Have a governing document (e.g., a constitution or memorandum of association);
- Have a board or management committee of at least three unrelated people;
- Have a bank account in the name of the group requiring at least two unrelated signatories;
- Have an income of less than £200,000 last year; and
- Have beneficiaries who live in South Yorkshire and be locally led and run.
For more information, visit SYCF Community Grants Programme (UK).