Funding Newsletter
March 2010
Latest Funding News
Community Scale Renewable Energy Programme launched
The Welsh Assembly Government's new Community Scale Renewable Energy Generation programme aims to support the development of schemes that utilise green energy sources such as wind, biomass and hydro power. The scheme will offer funding ranging from £100,000 to £300,000 per project. It is thought that 22 social enterprises will benefit from the fund. In addition, 135 million small grants worth £3,000 will be offered for local communities to carry out feasibility studies into potential renewable energy initiatives, with 35 grants worth up to £20,000 available to help develop the most suitable projects. The scheme will be delivered on the Assembly's behalf by the Energy Saving Trust. For further information, contact Paul Smith, Energy Saving Trust Wales' programme manager, on (029) 2046 8345 or email Source: WAG Flexible Support for Business website
BIG Lottery addresses the economic downturn in Wales
BIG Lottery in Wales has set aside a further £2 million to be allocated during the coming financial year ending 31st March 2011. Eligible organisations can apply for this through the existing People and Places programme for a limited period. Under this second round, the priorities will be strictly focussed on funding Voluntary and Community Sector organisations providing services that are supporting vulnerable families and children living in poverty. Organisations can apply for up to £50,000 revenue funding over a two-year period, with a maximum of £25,000 per year. First round deadline is 1pm on 31 March 2010. For further information go to: http://digbig.com/5bbden
WAG delivers £225 million of support to rural communities in Wales
More than £225 million has been spent on developing rural communities since Wales’ Rural Development Plan 2007-13 was approved two years ago. The Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007-13 was formally approved by the European Commission on 20 February 2008, bringing a total of £795million to rural Wales. The Rural Development Plan is the mechanism by which the Welsh Assembly Government delivers activities which support the countryside and rural communities, encouraging the sustainable management of agriculture and the environment. Source: WAG website for info at http://digbig.com/5bbdeq
2010 – International Year for Biodiversity
The United Nations has declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. The world has been invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth! For further information and to see how your group might get involved got to: http://digbig.com/5bbdep
Planned changes to the Newsletter
We are planning to freshen up the Newsletter which has been in this format for some two years now. We thought that we might be able to improve it by including an index list of funding opportunities at the front end and by running ‘feature articles’ on some of the more popular funds. What do you think? Have you any other suggestions that might help us improve? If you do please email us:
CCW Funding Newsletter – March 2010 1
Live Funding Sources
Theme Guide Key:
Each funding source may be of relevance to one or more of the following themes – which are indicated beside each entry.
n CS – The Countryside n AE – Access to the Environment
n CV – Conservation n LS – Landscape
n CE – Coastal Environment n WE – Wider Environment
n SD – Sustainable Development n GH – Geological Heritage
Charities, Trusts and Foundations
Arcadia n CV n SD
Formerly the Lisbet Rausing Charitable Fund, Arcadia is a grant-making fund established in 2001. The fund is administered by Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and from 2009 onwards, Arcadia's key mission has been to protect endangered culture and nature. This includes near extinct languages, rare historical archives and museum quality artefacts, and the protection of ecosystems and environments threatened with extinction. The Donor Board identifies grantees according to its scholarly and practical interests and via informed expert advice. Note! The Arcadia Board does not consider uninvited applications. For further details please visit: http://digbig.com/5bamym
Arthur Rank Centre n SD
The Arthur Rank Centre is a collaborative unit supported by the National Churches, the Royal Agricultural Society of England and the Rank Foundation serving the rural community and its churches. The Arthur Rank Centre is committed to supporting the rural community, and has set up the "Computers for Rural People" scheme to provide computers at very low cost to encourage people to take the first step. http://digbig.com/5bafeg
The Ashden Trust n CS n AE n CV n WE n SD
…is a grant-making charity focusing on climate change, sustainable development and improving the quality of life in poorer communities. The Trust makes small grants (typically between £1,000 - £20,000) to organisations with a track record of delivering innovative and effective projects within the following categories: environmental projects overseas; UK environmental projects; sustainable regeneration; people at risk; community arts; social investment. For further details please visit: http://digbig.com/4xnge
The Baring Foundation n SD
The Baring Foundation was set up in 1969 to give money to charities and voluntary organisations pursuing charitable purposes. In 40 years they have given over £98 million in grants. The Foundation’s budget for grant-making in 2009 was £1.5 million. The Foundation has specific grants programmes concerned with the arts, international development and strengthening the voluntary sector. The Foundation is also working on special initiatives which include: creating a better deal for parents with learning difficulties, interculturality and climate change. For further details please visit: http://digbig.com/5bamyt
The Beacons Trust n CS n CV n WE
The Beacons Beacons Trust is a charitable company established to help people, communities and voluntary organisations achieve positive environmental conservation and enhancement within the Brecon Beacons National Park. The Trust was established in 2009 with initial funding from the National Grid. For further details about their grants please visit: http://digbig.com/5bacgk
The Bromley Trust n CV n SD
Amongst other areas of interest the Trust supports charities in the UK that promote sustainability and help develop responsible knowledge and use of the world's resources and projects that deal with climate change. For further details please visit: http://digbig.com/5bamyw
British Ecological Society (BES) n AE
The British Ecological Society offers a wide range of grants to fund both ecological education and ecological projects. The grant categories are:
· Educational grants, Meetings grants, Research grants, Policy grants
· Public Engagement Grant (new - The British Ecological Society actively encourages its members and others to engage the public with exciting and important aspects of ecology. The BES's Public Engagement Grant scheme is to provide support, up to £2,000, to help them do it. (see http://digbig.com/4ykrg)
For more information, including how to apply, please visit: http://digbig.com/4xngj
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation n WE
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a charitable foundation established in Portugal in 1956 with cultural, educational, social and scientific interests. The purpose of the UK Branch is to help enrich and connect the experiences of people in the UK and Ireland and secure lasting and beneficial change in their lives. The Foundation also has a special interest in supporting those who are most disadvantaged. In 2009 The Foundation introduced a new Innovation Fund to support genuinely innovative ideas and unusual partnerships across our cultural, educational and social interests. This is now the only funding stream open to applications. Not-for-profit organisations can apply for R&D funding to scope a new idea which enables them to work together with other organisations or experts outside their usual practice, or to enable them to undertake active research into areas they would not normally have the time or money to explore. For further details please visit: http://digbig.com/5banap
Canoeing Foundation n WE
The Canoeing Foundation fund projects that support or promote canoeing ventures for Young People and/or disabled people. Applications are invited that support groups, provide equipment which can be used by a range of individuals. The usual grant is up to £1,000. Deadlines are 30 April and 31 October. http://digbig.com/5bahtd
Coalfields Regeneration Trust n SD n WE
“One of the major strengths of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust is the flexibility of our funding programmes. They’re there to help people, not make them jump through hoops. At the one end of the spectrum we give grants from our ‘community chest’ to small organisations to help them develop, and at the other end we give large grants of up to £300,000 to bigger voluntary, community and statutory organisations.” Our grants programme is about helping groups who respond to local need”. This fund is open to those in coalfield communities. See http://digbig.com/4wyhs for more info.
Conservation Foundation and O2 n WE
Awards up to the value of £1000 are available for environmental community projects, such as transformation of derelict land into a wildlife area/tree planting/creating a wildlife pond/renovating neglected river and canal footpaths. Individuals/community groups/local clubs or schools are eligible to apply. Successful applicants are also invited to supply before/after shots to qualify for a ‘well done award’. For further details please see: http://digbig.com/4xfrc
The Co-operative Community Fund n WE
Provides funding to projects that demonstrate benefits to their local community, have a charitable purpose, and are in line with The Co-operative Group’s values and principles. This includes projects that benefit the wider community, such as environmental projects, protecting heritage sites... Groups can apply for between £100 and £5,000 with the average award being £750. http://digbig.com/4xyqh
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) n CS n AE
The CLA charitable trust awards grants in the region of £2,500 for projects that seek to promote education about the countryside, and improve access to the countryside, for disabled and disadvantaged people.
http://digbig.com/4xngm Link to grant case studies: http://digbig.com/4xngn
CWM Community and Environmental Fund - Wales
The CWM Community and Environmental Fund has funds available for community and environmental projects located in Carmarthenshire. Approximately £200,000 is available each year and all grants will be between £5,000 and £50,000. Two funding rounds each year with decisions in May and November. Website: http://digbig.com/5bacgj. Look in ‘grants’ section.
Dulverton Trust n CV n WE
…gives grants to charities. It has several funding priorities including Conservation which covers general conservation issues within the United Kingdom with the emphasis being on the protection of wildlife habitats. Single species appeals are rarely considered. Minor grants (charity income up to £400k giving grants up to £3,500) and major grants (charity income above £400k). More information at http://digbig.com/4xnja
E.ON Sustainable Energy Fund n WE
In addition to the information and advice on this website, the Sustainable Energy Fund offers grants of up to £20,000 to community groups and not for profit organisations who wish to implement sustainable energy projects in their buildings - from energy efficiency through to micro-generation. Your organisation must benefit specific community groups, namely: Young people; Elderly people; People in fuel poverty. Local community groups and not for profit organisations located in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible. Joint proposals (e.g. with local authorities) will be considered, although the community organisation must lead the application. Funding can only be sought for non-residential facilities. To apply for funding download and complete the application form and Guidance notes on Website: http://digbig.com/5bahsx
The Ernest Cook Trust n CS
As well as offering a wide-ranging programme of land-based learning for children and young people, the Ernest Cook Trust gives grants to registered charities, schools and not-for-profit organisations wishing to encourage young people’s interest either in the countryside and the environment or the arts (in the broadest sense) or aiming to raise levels of literacy and numeracy. Since the ECT is a land-based Trust, work which encourages or ensures the continuation of rural skills and crafts is of particular interest to the Trustees. All applications are expected to link in with either the National Curriculum or with recognised qualifications. In 2008/09, the ECT Trustees gave £1.7m to support over 450 educational projects. A large grants programme for awards of over £4,000 and a small grants programme for awards of under £4,000 operate throughout the year. Further details of the grant programmes and a list of recent grant recipients is available on their website: http://digbig.com/5banas
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation n CV n WE
Main Grants The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s main grants programme seeks to fund, among other things, projects with a particular focus on the natural environment. For further details, please visit: http://digbig.com/4xngg (note: website down at time of checking – 24/08) Strands The Foundation’s Strands funding programme seeks to fund specific strands of work. These ‘strands’ will change over time, but applications are currently open for the following areas of interest: biodiversity; museum & heritage collections; new approaches to learning; food and finance; For further details, please visit: http://digbig.com/4xngh
The February Foundation n WE
…makes grants to charities for activities in five areas [1]higher education, [2]secondary ed. [3]community based charities [4]national charities [5]charitable causes. A number of areas are funded, including “charities which protect the environment”. For a very basic web page, visit http://digbig.com/4ydqa
Ford Britain Trust n WE
Ford Britain Trust is committed to supporting the communities near to their car production plants. For Wales this means the area in ‘close proximity’ to their facility in Bridgend. The Trust pays special attention to projects focusing on education, environment, children, disabled people and youth activities. Registered charities, schools / PTAs and not-for-profit organisations can apply. There are two types of grants to apply for: Small grants up to £250. Large grants up to £3,000. Large grants are considered by the Trustees twice a year – next deadline for submission on their application form is 4th May 2010. For further details go to: http://digbig.com/5bbdee
The GD Charitable Trust n WE
The Trust prioritises its grant making in a number of charitable areas including the preservation of the environment. It is not a large fund and past grants have ranged significantly in scale. The Trust prefers to support charities registered with the Charity Commission although it will consider other organisations as long as the purpose of the grant is considered to be charitable. There is no website. Further details are available from G D Charitable Trust, 50 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H 0BL. Tel 020 7227 7000.