Welcome to this edition of Inter-action
The e- newsletter of Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency..
Community Buildings Pre-Feasibility Grants Open for England
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has established the Community Buildings Pre-Feasibility Grants scheme to support community groups that have identified a possible community building project and are assessing the way forward. The funding aims to help local groups decide whether it is feasible to take on the project.
Revenue grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available to town or parish councils, neighbourhood forums, or qualifying community groups in England to assess the feasibility of a community building project before submitting a Community Right to Build Order.
The funding can be used for costs associated with assessing the viability of the project. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Understanding the potential costs of the proposal, exploring alternatives, and sources of finance.
- Help with putting together a project plan.
- Training sessions for members of the management team.
- Scoping and undertaking studies that would be needed to support a new development proposal.
- Engaging an architect and/or other professionals to advise on the design and/or land acquisition.
- Costs associated with public engagement and consulting on the project.
- Publicity materials.
The funding must be spent within six months or before the end of the financial year, whichever is earliest.
More information can be found here.
Applications can be made at any time.
Spirit of Achievement Arts and Culture Challenge Fund is now open.
The Spirit of 2012 Trust are looking for funding applications that will create opportunities for disabled people of all backgrounds to participate in arts and cultural activities, individually and with their families and friends. They mean arts and cultural activity in the broadest sense, and include visual art, craft, writing and literature, music, dance and performance arts in their definition.
They will award grants of between £100,000 and £250,000 to be spent over 2-3 years. Applications will be assessed by the Spirit of Achievement Panel, chaired by Susie Rodgers and made up of figures from the world of arts, culture and disability sport. They are particularly keen to see partnerships coming forward, applications from Disabled People’s User-Led Organisations (DPULOs) and inclusive opportunities for both disabled people and their families and friends.
More information can be found on their website here.
Closing date for applications is 9am on 20 April 2015.
Neighbourhood Planning Grants and Support Programme 2015-2018 Launches
The new Neighbourhood Planning Grants and Support Programme (2015-2018) is aimed at supporting local communities in England that want to draw up a neighbourhood plan for their area.
Town and parish councils, neighbourhood forums and prospective neighbourhood forums preparing a neighbourhood development plan or neighbourhood development order in England may apply.
Two forms of support are available:
- Grants of between £1,000 and £8,000 for groups writing a neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order.
- Specific packages of technical support where needed, and a further £6,000 in grants, for groups facing more complex issues.
Groups with complex issues include:
- Neighbourhood forums (where there is no Parish or Town Council).
- Clusters of parishes.
- High growth areas.
- Deprived areas.
- Business led neighbourhood plans.
- Populations of over 25,000.
- Groups preparing a neighbourhood development order.
The funding is for costs associated with developing a neighbourhood plan or a neighbourhood development order. Project should be delivered within six months of the application or within the financial year, whichever is soonest.
The support programme runs to 2018, and from April it will also provide community groups with technical assistance and expert advice to support new neighbourhood plans and neighbourhood development orders, throughout the process.
More information can be found here.
There are no deadlines as this is a rolling programme that is expected to run throughout the year.