Deadline: 6-Sep-21
Applications are now open for the Milton Keynes (MK) Community Foundation Grant Program to support Milton Keynes to grow and thrive, through strong communities, a healthy voluntary sector and engaged individuals.
Projects may benefit Milton Keynes generally, individuals through their bursary programme; individual estates or areas of need as well as emergency responses.
They particularly welcome applications from organisations looking to address new, emerging, and/or unmet needs, those working collaboratively or in partnership, and/or those working to improve the efficiency and capacity of the local voluntary sector.
They look to support projects that are impact-focussed and promote equality, diversity and inclusion and are creative, where organisations have a clear understanding of the difference they will make.
They aim to fund a wide range of non-profit organisations working to create social change across all 12 Vital Signs thematic areas: Strong Communities, Disadvantage and Poverty, Diversity, Health and Wellbeing, Crime and Safety, Housing, Arts and Heritage, the Local Environment, Economy, Transport, Work, and Education. They welcome applications that respond to issues raised in the Vital Signs report.
Themes
They achieve their mission through the themes of:
- Supporting: to support the growth and development of their voluntary community and cultural sector.
- Inspiring: to inspire giving to their communities through philanthropy and other social action
- Leading: to take a lead in connecting and growing sustainable communities.
Funding Information
- Transformation Grants: For grants over £10,000 for projects taking place within a 12-month period addressing new and priority needs
Eligibility Criteria
For Organizations
They can accept applications from constituted, not-for-profit organisations supporting beneficiaries from Milton Keynes, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Local community groups
- Voluntary Sector Organisations
- Registered Charities
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations
- Social Enterprises (for start-up costs only and in exceptional circumstances in discussion and at the discretion of the Philanthropy Team and final agreement by Philanthropy Director) Must include evidence that Directors are not be paid above a level that would make the provision of grant funding inappropriate, and must have a management committee who provide oversight and strategic guidance, comprised of at least four unpaid, unrelated members, not living at a shared address, to apply. There must be clear, evidenced community benefit.
- Sports Clubs
- Faith groups where the primary activities to be delivered at the site are community-focussed and not for the promotion of religion, and where potential beneficiaries are not required to participate in religious activities, nor excluded on the basis of faith, religion, or lack thereof, or any other protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010;
- Community Interest Companies and Companies Limited by Guarantee (for start-up costs only and in exceptional circumstances in discussion and at the discretion of the Philanthropy Team and final agreement by Philanthropy Director) Must include evidence that Directors are not be paid above a level that would make the provision of grant funding inappropriate, and must have a management committee who provide oversight and strategic guidance, Page 5 of 8 comprised of at least four unpaid, unrelated members, not living at a shared address, to apply. There must be clear, evidenced community benefit.
For Projects
- All applications must be for the benefit of communities in the Unitary Authority Area of Milton Keynes, or individual’s resident in the Unitary Authority Area of Milton Keynes. The Community Foundation may make a rare exception to this rule at the direction of the fund holder whose fund would support the project, where appropriate.
- All projects must start within six months of the grant being awarded, or groups may be asked to return the grant if they breach any part of the offer agreement. All grant periods must run for no longer than 12 months (except for those funded by the Large Strategic Grant Programme).
For more information, visit https://www.mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk/grants/apply-grant-2020/