A new round of the Comic Relief Local Communities Programme has now opened to applications across Sussex.
Groups can apply via Sussex Community Foundation. This fund has its own application form, which is available on the Sussex Community Foundation website.
Grants are available to charitable organisations and groups for projects that benefit local communities. Organisations can apply for one of the following themes:
- Improve people’s life skills, education, employability and enterprise.
- Maximise people’s ability to strengthen community cohesion and build social capacity.
- Provide people with opportunities to access local services, achieve greater social justice and to reduce inequality, exclusion and disadvantage.
- Advance people’s physical and mental health, wellbeing and safety.
Projects should be run by people directly affected by the issues being dealt with, and priority will be given to small, locally-based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community.
Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available and must be for at least 30% of the total costs of the project.
The following organisations are eligible to apply:
- Residents associations.
- Community groups.
- Social Enterprises.
- Community Interest Companies.
- Community Interest Organisations.
- Credit Unions.
- Community centres.
Examples of activities that can be funded through this programme include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Furniture projects.
- Benefit advice services.
- Community sport initiatives.
- Food co-ops.
- Initiative designed to combat fuel poverty.
- Employment and employability projects.
- Community consultation exercises.
- Training schemes for committee members, volunteers and staff.
For this round only, Sussex Community Foundation aims to spend at least 50% of the money available on projects which increase access to sport and exercise for people who face social exclusion and isolation.
Funding can be used to cover core costs, salaries and project costs.
The deadline for applications is 9 October 2015.