Grassroots Grant Programme
Are you :
• A small voluntary or community group?
• Delivering valuable services to disadvantaged communities and people?
• Working in Worcestershire?
• In need of extra funds to help you deliver or develop your service?
Grants of between £250 and £5,000 are available to small grass root community and voluntary groups in Worcestershire either as a one off payment or as a grant spread over a maximum of the three year period (2008 – 2010) but not exceeding £5,000 in total. Applications will seek to meet one of the following themes:
• Encouraging community citizenship – ‘feeling included and part of your community’
• Safeguarding vulnerable people – ‘feeling safe and healthy in your community’
• Enabling economic contribution – ‘feeling pride and independence in your community’
There is a free outreach and support service provided by your local outreach and support worker, Sophie Mead, therefore we strongly advise you to make contact with Sophie as she will be able to offer advice around developing your project and understanding the criteria.
If you are a Worcestershire based group and have any questions about your eligibility, want to check whether your ideas fit the Grassroots Fund criteria or want to arrange an outreach visit contact Sophie Mead, Grants Administration Officer on 01432 267820 (Mondays - Wednesdays and Fridays) or 01684 312734 (Thursdays) or e-mail grassroots@comfirst.org.uk.
Click here for examples of projects Grassroots has funded.
Groups from outside the Worcestershire area should visit the Community Development Foundation website (http://www.cdf.org.uk/web/guest/grassroots-grants) to find their local provider.
Please make sure you are completing the correct application form. For grants of £900 or less you need to complete the smaller application. This application will go through a fast track process and be looked at by a panel straight away.
For grants of £901 and more you need to complete the larger application and submit by the deadline dates given below to be considered by a formal panel.
You must restrict your answers to the application form as far as is reasonably possible and not attach unnecessary sheets of paper. Please do not simply say see attached.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please be aware that the documents below are first drafts and may need tweaking if we discover people are having problems with them therefore if you have any technical difficulties in completing these forms please do not hesitate to contact us.
The Final deadline dates for submitting applications are:
• Tuesday 20th July 2010
• Tuesday 24th August 2010
• Tuesday 21st September 2010
• Tuesday 26th October 2010
• Tuesday 23rd November 2010
Please be aware that the panel do not meet on these dates but your application must be complete and submitted on these dates. The panel meet three weeks after the deadline and a decision will follow by post within a week of the panel meeting.
With this being the final year for Grassroots funding and not knowing what grants will be available in the future due to government cuts this might be an ideal time to think about becoming a member of Community First?
We provide all sorts of services that could help your group develop and grow so why not look into what else Community First can do for you. Our membership is split into three different levels, 'Bronze', 'Silver' and 'Gold'. Becoming a 'Bronze' member is FREE and you will automatically receive our quarterly corporate magazine - ‘Newsline’, which will keep you up to date with the different services Community First provide, which could help you in developing your group, and keep you informed of the different funding opportunities that are available. If you decide you want to become a 'Silver' or 'Gold' member then there will be a cost in exchange for discounted and some free services, however if you are applying to Grassroots for funding you could put this cost in your bid as capacity building activity.
To find out more about the different levels of membership, costs, benefits and how to apply click here.
If you have already received and completed a Grassroots Grant funded project, you will now be required to submit an End of Grant report, for more information and to access a report go to End of Grant Reporting.