Deadline: 25-Jul-22
The WGF (Wandsworth Grant Fund) is seeking applications through 2022/23 from organisations that will directly help to support their communities through their journey to recovery.
The Wandsworth Grant Fund (WGF) is a practical grants fund for ‘not-for-profit’ projects and activities benefitting residents and communities of the London Borough of Wandsworth. The Council recognises the profound impact of Covid-19 on people’s lives and the role which community and voluntary organisations can have in supporting their communities.
Objectives
The funding available through the Wandsworth Grant Fund is invested in community-led projects and services that help the council to achieve the following key objectives:
- To deliver high quality, value for money services, involving residents and partners in service design and delivery and encouraging personal responsibility and active citizenship.
- To improve opportunities for children and young people, supporting all to make a positive contribution.
- To promote health and wellbeing for all adults, enhancing independence and enabling all to make a positive contribution to the community.
- To make Wandsworth an attractive, safe, sustainable and healthy place.
- To build a prosperous, vibrant and cohesive community. A borough, renowned as a great place to live, work and visit: a place that values diversity of its neighbourhoods and makes the most of opportunities to enrich the economic and social life of everyone in the borough.
Themes
They aim to support projects under six themes:
- Arts and culture
- Environment and attractive neighbourhoods
- Children and young people
- Citizenship and civic engagement
- Achieving aspirations and potential
- Health and wellbeing
- Recovering from the impact of COVID-19
Funding Information
There is now provision within the Wandsworth Grant Fund for grants of between £500 and £10,000 to be made, on an exceptional and emergency basis, outside of scheduled bidding rounds on the grounds of urgency. This change was made by the Council in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What they do fund?
- Venue hire costs
- Training costs
- Volunteer expenses
- One-off (non-recurring) staff costs such as a specialist contractor or sessional fees. These will only be funded in certain and limited circumstances where directly related to the project
- Small capital (facilities) / refurbishment projects
- Transport costs, but not purchase of vehicles
- Equipment
- Utilities and other running costs proportionate to the project
- Some refreshments/food costs when it is a small proportion of the budget and supporting vulnerable residents
- Residential experiences for young people (e.g., outward-bound type activity) outside the borough which fulfil the priorities of the new Youth Offer.
- Community gardening and other environmental projects which support the Wandsworth Environmental and Sustainability Strategy
Eligibility Criteria
They will only fund organisations that are:
- Providing services or activities that benefit the residents of the London Borough of Wandsworth. Organisations with a regional or national remit may apply, but they will only fund services or activities that benefit Wandsworth residents.
- Not for profit.
- Registered charities, Excepted charities, CIO’s, social enterprises and Companies Limited by Guarantee. Companies Limited by Shares are not eligible.
- Structured community groups of residents which have clearly defined aims and objectives and can demonstrate that the funding will be paid into a bank account in the group’s name authorised by at least two unrelated members’ signatories living at different addresses.
- Constituted, with at least three Trustees or Directors.
- Organisations must have at least a year’s (12 months) operational experience and have an independently verified statement of financial activities and/or bank statements.
- Groups of individuals: who must have an association agreement allied to an organisation bank account with two unrelated signatories who live at different addresses. (This could be in conjunction with a parent body such as a residents’ association).
- Organisations funded by them must not have liabilities that are more than their current assets.
- Organisations can also apply in partnership with other non-voluntary sector organisations e.g., statutory agencies, but the voluntary or community group must be the lead partner and funds will only be paid into their bank account.
- If a project is in partnership with a school(s) or a school is the applicant wanting to run something outside of school hours or term time, the application must explain why the school budget cannot cover the costs of the project. Applicants who are seeking to undertake activities with schools during school hours are expected to seek a financial contribution from the school(s) or explain why the school budget cannot contribute to the overall cost.
For more information, visit https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/volunteering/grants-for-the-community-and-voluntary-sector/wandsworth-grant-fund/about-the-wandsworth-grant-fund/