Sussex Community Foundation

Grants available for: Not for profit groups based in Sussex
Size of grants available: up to £10,000
Next deadline: Friday 10th January 2025

Aims of Fund

The Sussex Community Foundation was set up in January 2006 to build a substantial, permanent fund to support charities and communities across Sussex.

They are an umbrella organisation which manages funding on behalf of lots of other funding organisations. This means that you can fill in one form to apply to several funders at once. Sussex Community Foundation will look at your application and decide whether your project meets the criteria of any of their funds.

Who can apply

Any local charity or not-for-profit group can apply, as long as you have a constitution or set of rules. Community Interest Companies can only be funded if a majority of the directors are unpaid. They are particularly keen to support small local groups. Some of the funds they manage can only be awarded to registered charities.

How much and what can you apply for?

The Foundation is currently managing funds on behalf of a wide range of individuals and companies. This means you can send them one General Award application, and they will put you forward to the funder they think you are most suitable for. Most grants are for between £500 and £10,000.

They also administer some specific grant schemes, separate to their General Award. These are listed on their website and change from time to time.

You can usually only receive one grant a year through Sussex Community Foundation.

You can read their guidance notes for further details.

How to apply

SCF General Awards are comprised of a range of funds which collectively help to address disadvantage and deprivation in communities in Sussex and to build resilience in those communities. Grants are awarded from these funds three times a year. They are particularly keen to support grassroots community groups and small-to-medium sized voluntary organisations.

To apply for a General Award, you need to fill in the SCF General Awards application form. You don’t have to specify which fund you want to apply for.

You will need to give the contact details of a referee who is independent of your group, and attach your most recent signed accounts and a bank statement from within the last 3 months. If you have not applied to Sussex Community Foundation before, you will also need to supply:

• a signed copy of your constitution or set of rules (if you are a CIC, please also supply your CIC 34 report).
• if applying for a grant to purchase equipment, please send copies of written estimates or catalogue pages
• the names of management committee members, with cheque signatories identified.
• Your equal opportunities policy, covering both the Equalities Act 2010 and the nine protected characteristics.
• Other policies relevant to your work such as child protection or vulnerable adult protection policy, health and safety policy, environmental or sustainability policy

If you don’t have all these documents (for example, if you are a new group), you can contact Sussex Community Foundation to discuss whether they will consider your application without them.

Sussex Community Foundation also manage a few funds that you have to apply for separately, using different application forms. These application forms are also available on their website.

Deadlines for application

There is a general deadline three times per year. You should get a decision within 10 weeks of the deadline.

Upcoming 2024-25 deadlines are:

• Friday 10 January 2025 (Decisions March 2025)

Contact details

15 Western Road
Lewes BN7 1RL
Phone number: 01273 409440
email: [email protected]

[email protected]
website:https://sussexcommunityfoundation.org 

Page updated 24/9/24 DA