Deadline: 20-Apr-23
Round 1 of Leicestershire County Council’s SHIRE Community Grants programme for 2023-24 is now open for applications.
VCSE (Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise) sector organisations will be able to apply for a grant (maximum £5,000) to deliver community based projects and activities that are specifically focused on improving the health and wellbeing of vulnerable and disadvantaged people and communities in Leicestershire.
Objectives
- In 2023-24, VCSE sector organisations will be able to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to support the delivery of community-based projects, services and activities which are specifically targeted at improving the lives of vulnerable/disadvantaged people and communities.
Themes
- In the first round of funding for 2023-24, they are prioritising funding for projects/activities which are focussed on the following themes/priorities:
- Supporting vulnerable people and communities to manage the impacts of the cost of living crisis
- Support for community-based projects and activities which improve mental health and wellbeing, including projects which reduce loneliness and social isolation
- Projects for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people (and their families)
- Projects supporting people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions
- Please note, SHIRE Grants cannot be awarded to individuals. Individuals (or families) who are experiencing issues related to financial hardship/cost of living can find support.
Funding Information
- Your organisation can only apply for a SHIRE Grant of up to £5,000 in Round 1 in 2023-24.
Eligible Activities
- They are seeking to fund activities which fulfil all or most of the following criteria:
- Activities that improve the lives, health and wellbeing of vulnerable or disadvantaged people in Leicestershire, based on identified need/demand
- Grants will only be available for services/activities where the beneficiaries are residents of Leicestershire County (excluding the City of Leicester)
- Activities that provide community-based early intervention and prevention solutions
- Activities that will help to reduce demand on Council and other public services
- Activities which complement existing services which are already being delivered
- Projects which utilise the existing strengths and assets within a community
- Projects that will develop the capacity to be sustained independently, beyond the period of funding
- Projects which demonstrate evidence of partnership working and/or engagement with other relevant services, projects and stakeholders
- Capital works which will enable delivery of essential services and activities specifically for vulnerable and disadvantaged people/groups. This could include improvements to community buildings; equipment; tools; materials or vehicles
- Potential beneficiaries/target client groups
- Vulnerable and disadvantaged young people
- Older people, particularly those who are frail and/or socially isolated
- People with long-term health conditions, or those at risk of developing health conditions, including people living unhealthy or inactive lifestyles
- Carers/people with caring responsibilities
- People who are experiencing financial hardship or are economically disadvantaged due to socio-economic or welfare status
- People who are physically disabled
- People with learning disabilities and/or other special educational needs
- People who currently or have previously experienced mental health difficulties
- People who have a history of misusing drugs/alcohol
- People experiencing homelessness or other adverse housing related issues
- People from the Gypsy and Traveller community
- People with refugee or asylum seeker status
- People who have been the victim of crime or abuse
- Vulnerable people from the groups who are NEET (not in employment, education or training) and/or face significant challenges accessing employment, education or training
- People who are socially isolated (including rurally isolated) who experience challenges or a lack of opportunities with regards to accessing services or support
- Residents of communities in areas of (multiple) deprivation
Eligibility Criteria
- Grants are available for registered charities, constituted ‘not-for-profit’ community groups, and social businesses/enterprises or Community Interest Companies, who operate a ‘not for private profit’ business model, i.e. where any income generated is re-invested back into the social aims of the group/community.
- Grants cannot be awarded to non-constituted groups
- Organisations who have had income of over £1,000,000 in their latest set of financial returns/accounts (as shown on the Charities Commission or Companies House websites) will not be eligible to apply for a SHIRE Grant in 2023-24
- Organisations that apply for funding will need to demonstrate why the funding is essential to enable them to deliver the project (i.e. demonstrate that they are unable to undertake the project activity with existing resources)
- Applicants need to have a bank account, with at least two unrelated signatories
Ineligible
- Applications will not be accepted from the following: – Private, profit-making businesses, companies (limited by shares) or commercial enterprises – Individuals (unless it can be clearly evidenced that the individual is running a social enterprise where any income generated is re-invested into achieving social aims) – Local Authorities (including Parish and Town Councils) or other statutory/public sector agencies, e.g. District Councils, NHS, Police, Blue Light Services, etc. – Schools, academies, colleges, universities or other academic institutions
- If you are an individual representing a VCSE organisation (e.g. manager, staff member, director of a CIC), and you are applying for funding towards wages, which will be paid to yourself (i.e. to run/deliver/lead particular activities), ideally the named applicant should be someone from the organisation other than yourself, e.g. a trustee, board/committee member; senior manager or another named individual from your organisation
- Your organisation can only be awarded one SHIRE Community Grant in 2023-24
- Please note, organisations who have demonstrated unsatisfactory management of previous grants awarded by Leicestershire County Council may be considered ineligible to apply for a SHIRE Grant in 2023-24
- Applications from Social Enterprises and Community Interest Companies
- Social enterprises and CICs are eligible to apply for a SHIRE Grant. However, if your organisation is a social enterprise or CIC and you wish to apply for a SHIRE Grant, please note the following conditions:
- SHIRE Grants can only be awarded to social enterprises/CICs which have two or more directors
- SHIRE Grants cannot be awarded to social enterprises/CICs where there are only two directors, both of whom are related to each other (i.e. married or living in the same household)
- It is expected that social enterprises/CICs can demonstrate that they are generating income through sources other than solely grants
- It is expected that a proportion of the income generated by social enterprises/CICs should come via trading/selling, or charging for delivery of a service or product
- When assessing SHIRE Grant applications from social enterprises/CICs, the Grants Officers may ask for information about other sources of income generated by the organisation.
For more information, visit Leicestershire County Council.