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Community Grants available from Blaby District Council

THE BLABY DISTRICT Council Community Grants scheme is open for 2023-24. The scheme supports the local voluntary and community sector (VCS) to develop and strengthen community facilities and activities for the benefit of Blaby district residents.

The Council offers the following grants to suit different project types:

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• Capital Green Grants - up to £4,000 (20% match funding required)

• Large Capital Grants - up to £4,000 (50% match funding required)

• Small Capital Grants - up to £500

• Revenue Grants - up to £500

• Everyone Active Grants - up to £500

The Council has made some changes to the grants scheme for this year, so please read the full guidance notes available to download on this web page carefully.

Grant deadlines

FOUR GRANT rounds will be held during 2023-24. The deadlines for applications are:

• 31 May 2023 at 5pm

• 30 August 2023 at 5pm

• 29 November 2023 at 5pm

• 28 February 2024 at 5pm

The grant panel usually meets two weeks after the grant deadline and applicants are notified within a further week.

Blaby’s Funding and Awards Officer is holding a Grants Information Session via MS Teams on Wednesday 10 May at 10am. For meeting details email vcshub@blaby.gov.uk

Who can apply

THE GRANTS scheme is open to applications from a range of VCS organisations:

• Community groups, youth clubs and sports clubs

• Registered Charities

• Social Enterprises (such as Community Interest Companies)

• Religious or faith-based organisations for non-religious projects, open to all irrespective of faith

• Schools, Academies and PTA/fundraising groups for extra-curricular activities or projects of wider community benefit

How to apply

THE SAME application form is used for all of the different grants.

You can apply to the grants scheme online at www.blaby.gov.uk.

You will need to provide some supporting documents as listed below when you apply.

If you would prefer to submit your application by email or post, please use the contact form at the bottom of this web page to request an application pack. Completed forms should be sent to the Funding and Awards Officer, Council Offices, Desford Road, Narborough LE19 2EP or email grants@blaby.gov.uk. If you do not receive an acknowledgement of your application within a few working days, please contact the Funding and Awards Officer on 0116 272 7566 to ensure receipt.

Organisations are expected to provide copies of the following to support their application:

• A governing document (for example, Constitution or Articles of Association)

• An equality policy/statement (if not included within the governing document)

• A child safeguarding policy and/or vulnerable adults policy (if applicable)

• Copy of statement(s) for all bank/savings accounts held in your organisation’s name (dated within the last three months)

• The organisation’s most recent set of accounts

• Three quotes for any single items or works over the value of £1,000

• Evidence of any consents/permissions in order for the project to take place, for example, Planning Permission, Advertising Consent or Landowner Consent. These must be secured before the application is submitted

• Where the project involves alterations to land or buildings, the applicant must provide evidence of ownership or a written agreement/lease with at least five years remaining

The Council expects all grant recipients to comply with periodic checks and complete the monitoring form at the end of a project, including providing copies of invoices showing the expenditure on the project as well as any evidence of the intended outcomes being achieved. The standard terms and conditions can be found in the main community grants scheme guidance notes.

How the scheme has helped other organisations

• 84TH LEICESTER (LITTLETHORPE) SCOUTS were awarded a £4,000 Green Grant in March 2022 to replace old fluorescent lighting and storage heaters with more energy efficient solutions.

• COUNTESTHORPE ACADEMY was awarded a £4,000 Capital Grant in December 2022 to resurface an area of outdoor space to make it a suitable place for physical activity/ play.

• Whetstone Good Neighbour Scheme was awarded a £500 Revenue Grant in June 2022 to fund a social event for residents supported by the scheme and who are experiencing isolation and loneliness.

• Thistly Meadow Primary School was awarded a £500 Everyone Active Grant in January 2022.

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