Grants are now open for Not for Profit Voluntary and Community Groups

Deadline: 16-Jul-21

The Forest of Dean District Council is inviting proposals from not for profit voluntary and community groups – both constituted and non-constituted to help develop stronger and more cohesive communities. Small informal groups (a minimum of three people) can be considered.

This approach is aimed at building capacity of the community rather than directly delivering services. Projects should clearly be able to show that there is local value and leadership in them and demonstrate its importance to the community.

Funding Priorities and Criteria

For 2021 – 22. This year they would like the Community Grants scheme to focus on supporting the community to return to activity safely or support new or modified activities that enable communities to engage whilst living with the Covid 19 outbreak on an ongoing basis.

Projects which support, strengthen and empower communities
Activities involving children and young people
Projects tackling an ageing population/healthy ageing
Projects which enable and establish inclusive activities for all
Covid specific activity that is aimed at supporting regeneration of community projects or enabling groups to continue in a safe way.
Projects which help to restore confidence in communities and help vulnerable people to get back to what they were doing before Covid 19

Funding Information

Total level of funding available is £33,511.
- Constituted Groups: Grants up to £3,000 are available.
- Non-Constituted Groups: Grants up to £500 are available

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants must:

Be a not for profit voluntary or registered charitable organisation with a Constitution or set of rules which lay out the aims of the organisation and how it operates and be able to demonstrate how they develop relationships and support networks with the people they are involved with OR
Be a Community Interest Company OR
Be a group of people (minimum of three people) who have come together for a specific project/activity and have a plan of action which clearly identifies what they intend to do, how the award would be spent (Maximum claim of £500) and what difference their project/activity will make to their community
Be committed to building interdependence, connections, self-reliance and resourcefulness in those communities in which they live/work
Be active in helping all citizens – irrespective of age, gender, ability, sexual orientation, race or creed – to be contributing members of society and to be fully inclusive
Have a bank account in the name of the organisation and have at least two unrelated signatories to that account OR
Have the support of a constituted organisation who has agreed to be the banker of your project
Be an organisation or a group of individuals living or with a local base in the Forest of Dean District and the project must be directly beneficial to the residents of the Forest of Dean
Be able to demonstrate the extent to which there is a need/demand for their proposed project
Be able to explain the likely benefits and outcomes in relation to the Community Grant’s specific priorities and criteria, and that of Forest of Dean District Council:
- A great place to live, learn, do business and enjoy
- Improve community wellbeing, supporting and celebrating their distinctiveness
- Protect and enhance the local environment and address the climate emergency
Demonstrate that the initiative does not duplicate any other existing effective arrangements or projects
Be able to provide match funding in either money or * “in kind” time

* In kind time is the number of hours that your volunteers contribute to the development and delivery of your project – see application form for a calculator guide