Get funding for your community project! We've got loads'a leads

Looking for funds for you community project? Here’s a few funding projects that have come across our desk. Check ‘em out!

Village CORE Programme: The Village Retail Services Association in partnership with Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Co-operative and Community Finance have funding available to support the start up  of new community-owned shops in rural areas of England or  to save an existing shop by transfer to community ownership. The funding, which will be available over the next three years, will provide up to £40,000 per shop.

Applied research funding programme: The Carbon Trust has doubled the size of grants available from £250k to £500k, to enable the development of more ambitious projects with potential for even greater carbon savings.

Community Connections: BT has announced that they are now accepting applications through their Connection Awards programme which enables community and charitable organisations to get online and make use of information and communications technology. Organisations can apply for a laptop and a year’s free broadband connection.

Opportunities to support youth projects: V, the independent charity set up to encourage young people to volunteer will provide grants of up to £2,500 to young people to set up their own volunteering projects within their community.

The Community Dividend Fund: The Community Dividend Fund uses the “odd pence” donated from Co-operative Group Dividend cardholders to fund projects that benefit local communities. Community and voluntary groups as well as charities are able to apply for funding of between £100 and £5,000 to support projects that benefit the local community. To be eligible, the project must benefit a local community in which at least one Co-operative group business trades.

Springboard: Springboard is the new fund created to support the development of innovative ideas that will have a significant impact on the economy of Devon and Cornwall.

Social Enterprise and Rural Business: More than £7 million of RDPE [Rural Development Programme for England] funding has been allocated to this theme, targeted in two ways;
• A grant to support projects from community and social enterprises for the improved delivery of, and access to, basic services
• Advice and support for community and social enterprises that deliver basic services, in order to improve their overall viability

Making It Local: Making it Local has just launched its Small Grants Fund. Grants are available for between £1,000 and £10,000 for projects based in East Devon and Blackdown Hills which focus on:
• Small business creation and growth
• Strengthening local communities
• Connecting people and the landscape.

The Foyle Foundation: The Foyle Foundation has reviewed its funding schemes since its merger with the Batty Charitable Trust. It now operates a Small Grants Scheme, and a Main Grants Scheme which supports registered charities whose core work covers Arts and Learning.

The Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation: Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation supports projects for a wide variety of charitable purposes including: education; arts; heritage; youth; community; conservation; housing; health; medical research.

The Wallace & Gromit’s Children’s Foundation has announced that its grants making programme is now open for applications. The Foundation supports projects in children’s hospitals and hospices throughout the UK to enrich and enhance the lives of patients. During 2008, the average grant awarded was just over £9,000.

Abilitynet: Abilitynet helps people with disabilities use ICT by adapting and adjusting their technology. Voluntary organisations that are providing ICT services to individuals or communities can be supported. Organisations receive a range of help including an accessibility kit, training and support and access to a loan bank of equipment.

• Got any more tips for getting funding? Or, has your project been funded – let us know how it’s going! Comments below, please.