Aimed at developing small projects with homeless people applications are sought from organisations and individuals working with homeless people. Grants of up to £700 are available. Applications are welcome from people (groups or individuals) with experience of homelessness, e.g. rough sleepers, Travellers, squatters, refugees and asylum seekers, residents of hostels and B&Bs, anyone without a secure tenancy. The type of project that may be funded can be a service user group, an arts group, a business, a charity - any kind of self-help initiative. For more information visit their website; http://www.groundswell.org.uk
The intention of this initiative is to replace goals which fail to meet the British Standards safety requirements. The goals that will be eligible for replacement are pre-1996 (i.e. before British Standards were produced); metal cup hooks on posts and crossbars; wooden; freestanding and Mini-Soccer goals which are now incomplete, corroded or rusted. An applicant (such as a local authority) may apply for up to a maximum of 10 grants to cover 50% of costs up to £1,500. Grants may apply to one or more sites. For more information please visit http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk
Aimed at creating, conserving or enhancing biodiversity and open to registered charities in England and Wales, the minimum Grant level will be £200,000. The maximum is £400,000. Biodiversity includes all species of plants and animals and the complex ecosystems of which they are part. It includes the whole of the natural world from the commonplace to the critically endangered. The criteria for project support are:
Applicants will need to demonstrate that they will have an enduring legal interest in the land where the project is taking place, all applications must include a project plan. The types of projects that may be funded are:
For more information please visit http://www.grantscape.org.uk
Funding for small community projects by small community groups and clubs ranging from £50 to £500 the UKVillages Community Kitty supports small community based projects. Applicant groups must first register with UK Villages and more details are available on their website at http://www.ukvillages.com
This trust aims to help projects by Churches and religious charities in UK. Grants are made available to the Church and the Christian community in response to appeals in support of Churches, Church establishments, religious charities and charities preserving UK heritage. The Trust is unable to support appeals from charities with political association, National charities, individuals and appeals for running costs and salaries. More information is available at http://www.ecclesiastical.co.uk
The Microsoft Giving programme provides support in kind to charity and community groups in the UK. The scheme supports a wide range of projects and is particularly interested in projects that improve access to technology for disadvantaged communities. More information is available from their website at http://www.microsoft.com
The Foundation provides grants of up to £10,000 to benefit older people and adults with a physical disability or mental disability. Quality of life of older people and disabled adults is the guiding principle of the support given. Examples of the types of projects that may be funded are:
More information is available at http://www.whcfoundation.org.uk
The Diageo Foundation provides start-up funding of up to £50,000 and expertise in establishing local projects for the relief of poverty, or the advancement of education. Projects should demonstrate the following:
More information is available at http://www.diageo.com
This scheme will fund ideas that will result in projects that will:
Investing in Ideas could pay for the things that can turn your basic idea into a well-planned project including:
More information is available from http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Countryside Communities is a joint initiative between the Community Fund and the Countryside Agency. Funding is available for voluntary organisations and groups in eight deprived rural areas in England. These areas are Shepway in Dover, King's Lynn in Norfolk, Fenland in Cambridgeshire, North Norfolk, Boston in Lincolnshire, West Lindsey in Lincolnshire and Sedgemoor in Somerset.
A wide range of projects that will bring benefits to rural communities may be funded through this scheme. For example, village playgroups, rural dial-a-ride services, keep-fit sessions for the elderly, etc. For more information please visit http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
The Only Connect scheme enables voluntary organisations to explore ideas on income generation in a simple, fun and practical way. The scheme will:
Visitors will need to source the host organisation and make all arrangements with them, although NCVO can be contacted for ideas. In return visitors should fill out report forms in order to embed the lessons learnt. For more information please visit http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
Close to 350,000 votes were cast across the UK in the People's Millions contest as the public vote awarded 85 local projects featured on ITV a share of £4.2 million in Big Lottery Fund good cause cash. The contest ran on ITV regional news screens between 13 and 16 November and 131 projects battled it out for the awards of up to £50,000 each in the competition where viewers decide who gets Lottery cash. Two projects were screened in each region every night, in a head to head contest to win public votes and the Big Lottery Fund cash. Awards were not only dished out to each night's winning projects, but an additional bonus prize went to the runner up in each ITV region that chalked up the most public votes.
The Big Lottery Fund has also announced an even bigger and better competition for next year's People's Millions. Maximum awards of up to £100,000 will be on offer for projects and the scope of the competition will include bids from projects that help communities to enjoy as well as transform the environment. Community projects are urged to register their interest in the contest by calling the People's Millions information hotline on 08450 101112. This is the second year the Big Lottery Fund and ITV have teamed up to bring UK viewers the People's Millions, giving the public a real say on where Lottery funding will go to benefit their community. Up to £15 million in grants will be given out by the Big Lottery Fund under the three year public involvement initiative.
The Foundation for Sports and the Arts (FSA) was established in 1991 to distribute income generated by the football pools promoters. Grants can be awarded to a wide range of projects, including support for individual sports people. The Foundation aim is to enhance the quality of life for the communities to encourage and fund sports and arts at every level. The FSA consider promoting participation and enjoyment by everyone is more important than promoting sporting or artistic excellence or success.
Funding is available for Capital & Revenue projects. Grants are available for a wide variety of sports and arts purposes e.g. football maintenance, play areas, museums, arts projects, drama centres, etc. For more information please visit http://www.thefsa.net
Sport England invests in projects that will help people start, stay and succeed in sport. The types of projects that will be funded will depend on the priorities of the nine regional sports boards, i.e. East England, East Midlands, London, North East England, North West England, South East England, South West England, West Midlands and Yorkshire. The types of projects that may attract funding are those that:
For more information please visit http://www.sportengland.org
The funding priorities are:
For more information please visit http://www.boots-plc.com
The Trust supports disadvantaged people through education and training that may lead to a recognised qualification or be part of lifelong learning and will make a lasting contribution to the local community. The types of projects that may attract funding are:
For more information please visit http://www.abbeynational.com
This scheme will fund waterways related projects that provide lasting environmental enhancement, and encourage involvement in the waterways that involve the community. Projects where the award is being used to attract further funding i.e. from local sponsors, or where volunteer effort or gifts in kind are making a contribution to the scheme, are encouraged. For more information please visit http://www.thewaterwaystrust.co.uk
The DTI has launched its 'Autumn Competition for Funding', aimed specifically at collaborative research partnerships, and organisations in the East of England are being urged to apply for their share of it. The funding is designed to assist businesses, individuals, or research establishments that are working in collaboration, or wish to work in collaboration, with other organisations to exploit emerging technologies. In order to give more companies in the region help on how to apply for the funds and seek appropriate partners, EEDA has again financed an advice service at St John's Innovation Centre in Cambridge, part of its network of enterprise hubs. This assistance will include helping applicants to find appropriate partners, checking if project ideas fit the scope of the competition, and providing assistance with applications.
The total Autumn competition funding 'pot', which totals £48 million across the UK, is the latest round of the government's Technology Programme, which aims to create wealth for the UK's economy through innovation. The funding is part of bi-annual competition, underpinned by the government's three-year investment to stimulate collaborative research and development in seven key technology areas that are critical to the UK's economic growth. Support for the competition is also being provided by the research councils. Organisations that are interested in receiving funding should contact Dr Alex Smeets at St John's Innovation Centre on 01223 422210, email him at asmeets@stjohns.co.uk or visit http://www.eeda.org.uk. The deadline for registering an intention to submit an application is midnight on 8 January 2007.