Funding

Chester Community Energy is a Community Benefit Society established in 2016 with the aim of promoting the use of renewable sources of energy and improving energy efficiency. The organisation owns and operates 3 solar PV installations in the Chester area. This year £5,000 of income from the sale of the energy generated is to be made available to support projects within the voluntary, community and faith sector which have a focus on renewable energy and/or increasing energy efficiency and reducing waste. Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) organisations within West Cheshire and those parts of Flintshire within a 10 km (6 mile) radius of Chester city centre including Shotton and Connah’s Quay, are eligible to apply for funding Apply via https://forms.office.com/e/eUd7ksQLJB

Cheshire West and Chester Council has again allocated funding to support local venues to open their doors as Welcoming Spaces – safe, friendly places where people can keep warm, meet others, and find out about practical help and support. Cheshire Community Action (CCA) will administer the grants on the Council’s behalf.

The Foundation award grants to UK registered charities, CICs, and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations (including special schools). Grants are awarded towards capital projects, which they define as: - Buildings: purchase, construction, renovation or refurbishment. - Fittings, Fixtures, and Equipment: this includes but is not limited to office equipment/furniture, sports/gym equipment, digital/audio visual equipment, software and websites (more guidance on digital infrastructure can be found here), garden equipment, specialist therapeutic (excluding medical) equipment. It does not include equipment for one-off use, or which will be given to service users for personal use on a permanent basis. - Vehicles: This includes a minibus, car, caravan, people-carrier, or 4X4. We are unlikely to fund the total cost of a new vehicle and do not provide grants towards vehicle leasing. They fund both large and small projects.

The Foundation offers grants in the categories of Community, Education, Health or Social Welfare. They offer three levels of grants. These are large grants of £20,000 and above; medium grants of up to £20,000 and small grants of £5,000 and under. Grants can be used for: Capital projects which include new buildings, extensions, refurbishments and recreational spaces. New minibuses and other vehicles that provide a vital service to those most in need in their local community. Churches and other places of worship with a strong, secular community focus. Charities or CIOs (Charitable Incorporated Organisations) registered in England and Wales. Certain organisations with exempt status such as specialist schools, scout and guide groups, housing associations, cooperatives, and community benefit societies. Applications are accepted all year round.

Biffa Award’s Main Grants Scheme is aimed at community and cultural groups and organisations, situated in the vicinity of landfill sites, that are in need of funding to improve the quality of life in their community or to conserve wildlife. There are four themes - Community Buildings, Recreation, Cultural Facilities and Rebuilding Biodiversity. Under these themes we provide funding to create or improve community amenities. For example, upgrading kitchens, meeting rooms and toilets in village halls and community facilities; creating new playparks; installing new seating, lighting and exhibitions within theatres and museums; or establishing, protecting and enhancing habitats for biodiversity. Between £10,000 and £75,000 can be awarded to projects that have a total cost of less than £200,000 including VAT. This is a rolling programme and as such there are no deadlines to submit an Expression of Interest in the Main Grants Scheme.

Awards for All: TNLCF offer funding from £300 to £20,000 and can support your project for up to two years. You can apply for funding to deliver a new or existing activity or to support your organisation to change and adapt to new and future challenges. They can fund projects that’ll do at least one of these things: bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities improve the places and spaces that matter to communities help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage support people, communities and organisations facing more demands and challenges because of the cost-of-living crisis. Reaching Communities England: TNLCF fund projects and organisations that work to make positive changes in their community. By community they mean people living in the same area, or people with similar interests or life experiences. They offer funding that starts at £20,001. TNLCF can fund projects or organisations that’ll do at least one of these things: bring people together to build strong relationships in and across communities improve the places and spaces that matter to communities help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage. Partnerships: This funding is for organisations working together in partnership to help their community. This funding also starts at £20,001 and can fund projects that do at least one of the things also specified under the Reaching Communities programme. No application deadline, ongoing applications.

This fund aims to support Christian organisations to deliver projects that will make a positive and transformative impact on lives and communities and contribute to the following objectives: · Growing congregations and Christian communities. · Addressing social challenges facing communities. · Enabling wider community use of church buildings. · Empowering Christian education.

The funding is intended for registered charities working with people in need (by reason of financial hardship, sickness, disability, other disadvantage or distress) in the UK and who need funding for the following: · Projects that provide, maintain, repair or improve housing or community space. · Supporting people experiencing poor housing or homelessness There are two levels of grants: · Up to £5,000 for garden projects · Up to £10,000 for building or indoor projects. The B&Q Foundation will consider awarding higher value grants.