Tag Archive for: funding

Rural Prosperity Fund / Hunts Rural Business/ Now open

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About:

The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) is an addendum to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It aims to support activities that specifically address the particular challenges rural areas face.

It succeeds EU funding from LEADER and the Growth Programme which were part of the Rural Development Programme for England. Nationally, a total of up to £110 million is available for financial years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025.

Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC) has been allocated a total of £957,788, of which £350,000 has been allocated to support the growth of rural businesses.

Link : For more information

What is available?

HDC has made £350,000 available to micro and small businesses that meet the rural eligibility areas as defined in the Defra Magic Map. Please ensure you have checked your project postcode for eligibility before starting your application.

You can apply for capital grants of a project value of up to £150,000. We reserve the right to award greater or lower amounts based on your application, the project outcomes and the quality of evidence provided.

The minimum project value is £10,000 with a grant award of £5,000.

The maximum project value is £150,000 with a grant award of £75,000.

Eligibility

Eligible businesses:

  • Are located in the central government-defined Huntingdonshire Rural England Prosperity Fund area. Before you start an application, please ensure you check your eligibility on the Defra Magic Map. View the guide on how to use the map.
  • Are a small or micro enterprise employing between 1 and 249 staff
  • Trading as a business or organisation whose company type is either: limited liability, limited liability partnership, partnership, sole trader, franchise, social enterprise, or charitable company limited by guarantee
  • Must be able to spend the funds by 28 February 2025
  • Can fund 50% of the project cost with match-funding from elsewhere
  • Are trading and operating within Huntingdonshire and paying business rates or Council Tax.

Community Grants / Cambridge City Council / Next round starts 26 Nov

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The Cambridge City Council 2025-26 Community Grants, Homelessness Prevention Grants and Sustainable City Grants.

 

The 2025-26 Homelessness Prevention Grants and Sustainable City Grants – next round starts on 26 November 2024.

 

What is available?

Groups wishing to apply for a 2025-26 Community Grant should note that the following funding pots will be available:

 

 

 

 

Activities must reduce social and/or economic inequality for City residents with greatest need

 

Activities can be open to city wide residents

and / or

those living in a particular area of the city

 Over £5,000 fund

 

Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR)

 Must meet one of the following priorities:

  • promote active lifestyles
  • arts and culture
  • community development
  • reduce poverty
  • employment support
 Launch: 1 August 2024

 

 Apply by: midday on 18 September 2024

 

Application via a Word document

 Funding awarded: April 2025 and must be spent by 31 March 2026

 

 
£5,000 and under fund

 

 Activities must address one of the following:

  • help people be more active
  • improve access to arts and culture
  • bring communities together
  • reduce poverty
  • reduce loneliness and social isolation
 Round 1

Launch: 26 November 2024

 

 

Round 2

Launch: 23 April 2025

 Round 1

Apply by: midday on 14 January 2025

 

 

Round 2

Apply by: midday on 3 June 2025

 

Application (to both rounds) via online application form

 Round 1

Funding awarded: from April 2025 and must be spent by 31 March 2026

 

Round 2

Funding awarded: from July 2025 and must be spent by 31 March 2026

Please note the following:

  • earlier launch and application closing dates
  • the more focussed list of priorities for both funds
  • the £5,000 and under fund replaces Area Committee Grants and builds on the small grants (£2,000 and under) programme introduced in 2023-24.
  • You can only hold one Community Grant award during the funded year (2025-26) – either from the over £5,000 fund or the £5,000 and under fund.

You can apply for more than one activity to the over £5,000 Community Grant fund providing you are requesting more than £5,000 for each activity. We also have a £5,000 and under Community Grant fund. You can apply for £5,000 for a single activity or split between multiple activities with a combined maximum total of £5,000. You can only apply to the over £5,000 Community Grants fund or the £5,000 and under Community Grant fund. Please refer to the Community Grants of £5,000 and under fund to make sure that you are know which fund to apply to and when you need to apply. The first funding round for grants of £5,000 and under opens on 26 November 2024. The £5,000 and under Community Grant fund replaces Area Committee Grants and builds on the small grants programme introduced in 2023/24.

For more information please visit: Grants and funding – Cambridge City Council

LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund / Consortium / Deadline Thursday 21st November at noon

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What is available?

Thanks to further funding from The National Lottery Community Fund – the largest community funder in the UK, Consortium and its Community Partners are delighted to deliver the second round of the LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund.

A total pot of £500,000 is available through small grants of between £100 and £25,000 for organisational running costs, projects and organisational / leadership development.

Who can apply?

This Fund has been enabled thanks to National Lottery players and will focus on supporting user-led LGBT+ organisations based in England, who are working with targeted under-represented and under-resourced communities.

How to apply

The fund will close to applications on Thursday 21st November at 12noon. They aim to make decisions as quickly as is practicable and applications will be assessed on a rolling basis.

To apply and ask questions please visit: LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund (consortium.lgbt)

Health Equity grant/ Legal & General / Apply in summer 2024

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Legal & General’s new £3million ‘Health Equity’ grant Fund, alongside the UCL Institute of Health Equity (IHE).

What is available?

The Fund aims to support community-based initiatives across the UK which are addressing the social determinants of health.

The Fund has potential to support up to 150 projects tackling non-medical social and economic factors which have an influence on local and national public health, such as housing, education, infrastructure, or quality of work.

  • The Legal & General ‘Health Equity’ Fund is a £3 million fund offering grants of up to £75,000 to place based projects that address the social determinants of health.
  • The fund will initially launch with a trailblazer £1mn available to projects based in the North East of England ahead of a UK-wide launch in the summer of 2024.
  • Example projects that the Fund may support could range from funding for inner-city schools in areas of deprivation to community programmes which address the social determinants behind pressures on A&E services, or partnerships raising awareness of the contribution the natural environment makes to health and wellbeing.

 

Who can apply?

  • To apply you must login or register to be a member of the https://healthequitynetwork.co.uk/. This is a free membership and it will provide you with further information and updates.
  • Once you have signed up and logged in, you will be able to find information about the Fund on the new Legal & General Health Equity Fund page, which is available via the menu bar.
  • Interested parties with projects in the North East of England can submit expressions of interest from 04 June 2024 ahead of the launch of the official application process. The UK-wide launch will open in the summer of 2024.

 

How to Apply:

To find out more about the fund and the process for applying, read the full announcement here: Legal & General and UCL Institute of Health Equity launch new fund to support up to 150 communities across the UK | Legal & General (legalandgeneral.com)

Young People’s Programme/ The Allen Lane Foundation / Apply anytime

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Funding to Support Disadvantaged Young People (UK – excl. Greater London)

What is available?

Grants of up to £15,000 are available to UK charities and not-for-profit organisations working with young people aged 12-21 who are socially excluded or marginalised, and who are experiencing or may have experienced significant issues within their lives.

The Allen Lane Foundation Young People’s Programme is keen to support young people who are facing difficult challenges and barriers to accessing support and opportunities.

A particular focus is given to supporting:

• children who are considered persistently absent from school

• those leaving school with no qualifications

• children and young people in/leaving care

 

The average grant is around £5,000 to £6,000.

The funding could be used, for example, for:

• pro-active youth clubs

• activities for disaffected young people

• employment opportunities

• to provide experience which help young people to find structure

 

Who can apply?

Organisations that work across a local area, such as a village, estate, or town, must have an annual income of less than £100,000 to be eligible. Organisations that work across the entire UK must have an annual income of less than £250,000 to be eligible.

The Foundation does not fund work within Greater London.

 

When do the applications close:

Trustees meet to discuss grant applications three times a year, generally in February, June and October.

Applications can be made at any time.

 

How to Apply:

For more information and to apply please visit: Young People’s Programme – The Allen Lane Foundation

Community Growing Grant / South Cambridgeshire District Council/ Closes 31 March 2025

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What is the aim of this funding?

As part of the cost of living support programme, South Cambridgeshire District Council have set up a Grant Scheme to help start Community Growing Projects across South Cambridgeshire. The funding is able to be spent on any capital costs associated with setting up a Community Growing Project, such as raised beds, gardening equipment, soil, and seeds.

Perhaps there is an unused piece of land in your area that could be transformed with the installation of a raised bed, or you volunteer at a Community Orchard that has space to install a raised bed to grow fresh vegetables. You may be part of an existing group or form a group specifically to create and maintain a Community Growing Project. As long as you fit the eligibility criteria and your project will benefit your community, you can apply for up to £500 from this grant to start it.

Who can apply?

An applicant might be:

District: South Cambridgeshire

Applications close: The Community Growing Grant will run until 31 March 2025 or until funds are exhausted.

How to Apply: For more information and to apply please visit: Community Growing Grant – South Cambs District Council (scambs.gov.uk)

Adult Education Budget Re-Procurement: Bid for a place on the Cambridgeshire Skills Approved Provider List

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Funding opportunity for voluntary and community organisations who are interested in delivering learning as part of Cambridgeshire Skills offer for the academic years August 2024 – July 2026.

Cambridgeshire County Council are inviting Adult Education providers to bid for a place on the Cambridgeshire Skills Approved Provider List’ to deliver AEB. Successful bidders will have the chance to be granted funding for the academic year(s) 1 August 2024 – 31 July 2026, with the possibility to extend the Approved Provider List for two further years.

There is total funding of £638,000 available per year.

The Council receives two separate Adult Education Budget (AEB) grants from:
1. Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)/Department for Education (DfE)
2. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA)

The Council delivers adult education in-house, but a proportion of the grants are sub-contracted to independent providers that deliver training that complements the in-house delivery.

The Adult Education Budget (AEB) aims to engage adults and provide the skills and learning they need to equip them for work, an apprenticeship or other learning. It enables more flexible tailored programmes of learning to be made available, which may or may not require a qualification, to help eligible learners engage in learning, build confidence, and/or enhance their wellbeing.

The relevant CPCA and ESFA Funding Rules and eligibility criteria for the academic year (1 August 2024 – 31 July 2025) will apply to this funding.

Opening date to register interest: 18/04/2024 12:00

Closing date to register interest: 31/08/2026 12:00

For more information and to register interest please visit: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=306695c0-d1fb-ee11-812a-005056b64545

NEW! On-Demand video – Funding Application Tips

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We have recently added a new on-demand session to our portal, this one centers around attracting volunteers.

Read more

Community engagement funding comes to Fenland

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Following the earlier funding received by Support Cambridgeshire for their work in Fenland, the partnership is thrilled to announce an additional five-year grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. This funding will continue to support and develop voluntary and community sector groups and organisations throughout the county.

The Support Fenland project began in 2021 with funding from Lloyds Foundation Bank, initiating a one-year pilot project to assess the support needed by voluntary and community groups in Fenland for further development. The outcome highlighted the essential need for such support across the district to maximise the potential of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).

In response to the pivotal findings of this pilot, Support Cambridgeshire applied for funding from various sources, with successful outcomes. This initiative builds upon the groundwork laid by the pilot project, focusing on enhancing and expanding support and advisory services throughout Fenland. The project’s ethos emphasises collaborative efforts with local communities to develop resilient support systems tailored by and for the communities.

 

Julie Farrow, CEO of Hunts Forum and lead on Support Cambridgeshire, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are excited that we can now offer the communities of Fenland the same type of support that other districts receive. This five-year funding will enable us further to enhance the voluntary and community sector’s wonderful work.”

 

With years of experience collaborating with staff and volunteers from various charities and community groups across the county, both partners specialise in providing guidance, training, and support. They aim to empower individuals in these organisations, equipping them with the necessary skills and confidence to secure funding, expand their outreach, and effect positive change within local communities. Furthermore, both organisations facilitate the establishment of new groups, amplify community voices, and foster knowledge sharing among groups.

While Fenland groups haven’t received bespoke support like some other districts, this new project aims to rectify that. It will begin by engaging with existing groups, local residents, and other stakeholders to determine necessary changes to support charities and communities better. Drawing on their experience, the partners will provide more training, assistance, and opportunities for collaboration.

 

Mark Freeman, CEO at CCVS, shared his excitement, stating, “Fenland communities are already making significant contributions, and we are thrilled to see that with this funding from the National Lottery Communities Fund, we can complement existing efforts to enhance further and develop what works within the district.”

 

The project is poised to ensure that Fenland’s charities and community groups consistently have the resources and support necessary to cultivate healthier, happier communities.

This project would not be possible without the funding received from The National Lottery Community Fund.

Plunkett UK/ Support for community assets/ Closes March 2025

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What is available: Free packages of business support covering everything from financial planning to governance, plus feasibility grants of up to £5,000 and capital grants of up to £45,000.

District: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s market towns and rural hinterlands.

Application opens: March 2024

Applications close: March 2025

Who is the funding for :Community groups across the region to take ownership and operation of local pubs and assets that are vacant or at risk of closure, revitalising assets whilst protecting and providing key local amenities that will benefit the community.

How to Apply: If you would like to apply please phone: 01993 630 022 or email: info@plunkett.co.uk

 

Plunkett UK

Plunkett UK has received funding from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to support communities in the area’s market towns and rural hinterlands to save assets which are at risk of closure or which have already closed, or to bring new services to their locale.

Plunkett supports people in rural areas to set up and run a wide range of businesses which are genuinely owned by local communities, whereby members have equal and democratic control. They represent community businesses throughout the UK, from shops and pubs through to woodlands, farms and fisheries.

Funding from the Combined Authority has enabled Plunkett to offer community groups exploring community business as a way to address their communities’ needs, free packages of business support covering everything from financial planning to governance, plus feasibility grants of up to £5,000 and capital grants of up to £45,000.

Business support and grants will be available until March 2025 and can be accessed by contacting Plunkett on 01993 630 022 or emailing info@plunkett.co.uk.

More information can be found here: www.plunkett.co.uk/cambridgeshire-and-peterborough-combined-authority-area-partner-with-plunkett-to-help-communities-save-community-assets-in-their-area/