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Cambridgeshire County Council: Innovate & Cultivate Fund (UK)

Deadline: 1-Feb-21

The Cambridgeshire County Council is seeking applications for the Innovate & Cultivate Fund to help voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations to deliver projects that help to achieve these broad outcomes by addressing the needs of local residents.

The Innovate & Cultivate Fund aims to redirect Council funding from high-cost front-line services, towards support and services that are delivered within, and by, local communities. The priority areas of service where funding applications are most welcome are Adult Social Care and Children & Families services.

Funding Information

The Innovate and Cultivate Fund has two funding streams:

  • Cultivate – grants of £2,000-£15,000 aimed at encouraging local networks where people help themselves and each other.
  • Innovate – larger grants of up to £50,000 for big projects with big ideas that demonstrate an innovative approach.

Eligibility Criteria

  • The Innovate & Cultivate Fund is for:
    • Voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations, based in and outside of Cambridgeshire;
    • Public sector bodies in Cambridgeshire, including District, Town and Parish Councils (excluding Cambridgeshire County Council).
  • All projects have to benefit the residents of Cambridgeshire.
  • The fund is not open to individuals, or for-profit businesses. Project beneficiaries must be residents of Cambridgeshire and projects serving the residents of the Peterborough City Council local authority area are not eligible for funding.

How To Apply

  • Cultivate grants (£2,000-£15,000)
    • Please note that the maximum Cultivate grant has reduced from £19,000 to £15,000.
    • The application is a one-stage process that takes approximately 3 months from the application deadline to confirmation of the award.
    • Cultivate grant applications are submitted by applicants using the online form accessed on this webpage. Applications will be considered by a panel whose recommendations will go to an elected member committee for consideration.
    • Cultivate grants under £5,000 are usually made in a single upfront payment and grants of £5,001 to £19,000 are usually paid in two equal instalments, one up front and one at the midway point.
  • Innovate grants (£15,001 to £50,000)
    • The application is a two-stage process that takes 5-6 months from the application deadline to confirmation of the award.
    • Stage 1 – Innovate applications are submitted by applicants using the online form accessed on this webpage (see left hand column).
    • Stage 2 – Chosen proposals selected by a Stage 1 Panel will be invited to provide further information including a project plan, budget and activity plan. Applicants will then be invited to a Stage 2 Panel where applications will be assessed and applicants will be required to give a short presentation about their project. Recommendations on grants from the Stage 2 Panel will then go to an elected member committee for final consideration. Innovate grants are paid in quarterly instalments.

All applicants are required to submit the following documents with their application form:

  • A signed copy of your organisation’s set of rules/terms of reference/constitution;
  • Bank paying-in slip;
  • Your Equality Policy;
  • Your Safeguarding Policy (children and/or adults);
  • Your organisation’s accounts for the past two financial years;
  • Names and addresses of three independent management committee members, with at least two cheque signatories, identified.

You may also be requested to provide:

  • Three different quotes for any capital items over £500.
  • Evidence of a long-term lease if you are applying for funding towards a building or land that your organisation does not own.
  • If you are a Community Interest Company, they require CIC 36 form (if you have registered as a CIC in the last 12 months), or your latest CIC 34 Annual Report (if you have been registered as a CIC for over 12 months)

If you have received a grant from the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation in the last two years, you do not need to resubmit your documents unless there have been significant changes in your organisation. 

For more information, visit https://www.cambscf.org.uk/icf.html

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