Deadline: 5-Jun-25
The Dorset Council has launched the Community and Culture Project Fund to provide small grants to organisations who want to start new activities and events that benefit the local community.
The fund is for ‘not for profit’ community groups including:
- museums
- arts
- heritage
- physical activity
- sport
- play
Strategic Priorities
- The four strategic priorities set out where they want to make a significant and positive difference. They are:
- Provide affordable and high-quality housing
- Grow the economy
- Communities for all
- Respond to the climate and nature crisis
Funding Information
- The fund is a small project grant, funding up to 80% of total project costs.
- Grants are from £1,000 to £5,000.
What they will fund?
- projects that deliver an environmental impact or cultural activities that incorporate environmental/climate change themes
- projects that support communities with the cost-of-living challenges
- projects that address, and fund cultural projects that reach isolated audiences via digital/online solutions.
- one off events /major events/activities which have the potential to raise the profile of the arts, heritage, sport and the environment in the Dorset Council area including those that promote equality and social inclusion.
- volunteer led projects that include equipment and staffing costs which add value or enhances the normal activities of your group or organisation.
- play that includes young people with disabilities and play projects that improve health and wellbeing through opportunity for physical activity. Play projects that demonstrate consultation with young people, schools and local community.s
Who can apply?
- organisations that operate within the Dorset Council area for the benefit of people who live there
- constituted organisations
- Parish and Town Councils in Dorset
- non-profit making organisations operated with no undue restriction on membership e.g. Charities
- charitable incorporated organisations (CIO),
- community Interest Companies (CIC), They will only fund CIC’s with a minimum of 3 directors, two of whom must be unrelated. They need to see a clear ‘Asset Lock’ Statement and Memorandums and Articles of Association.
- registered Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC),
- Company Ltd by Guarantee (not for profit)
- accredited Museums
- heritage organisations
- arts organisations
- sports organisations
- community organisations
- partnership of organisations with a written partnership agreement (Town Councils can be part of a partnership project)
Ineligibility Criteria
- They will not fund:
- applications directly from schools/colleges/nurseries/universities. Any applications should be made through their PTA/Friends of Charities. They will not fund curriculum related projects that happen within school time. Projects that extend outreach activities to schools to develop new audiences for the organisation and/or are for the benefit of the community will be considered
- applications from organisations who are attempting to secure more than one grant in this round
- core or continuation costs e.g. normal staffing costs, business rates, normal insurance, and other running costs normally incurred by the organisation.
- projects that have already started unless you can show that additional funding will add value, enhance or extend your original project
- feasibility studies, research projects
For more information, visit Dorset Council.