Fast Funding Community Grants Policy 2023-25

Hard copies of the application form are available on request for those unable to access the online application.

Application dates are detailed below and may be subject to change, in which case new/additional dates will be published on the council’s website.

Grant award terms and conditions.

2023 - 2024	Opens	Closes
Fast Funding Grants	2 August 2023	17 March 2024

2024 - 2025	Opens	Closes
Fast Funding Grants	1 April 2024	16 March 2025

 1. Who can apply?

 The scheme is open to community groups and organisations who meet the relevant criteria including, registered charities, voluntary organisations, community groups, social enterprises and Parish Councils*.

These groups are referred to in this policy as qualifying organisations.

*Parish Councils may seek funding for a project or activity that is not a statutory function.

 2. Eligibility criteria for funding

In order to qualify for a community grant, the following criteria must be met:

• The organisation must meet the definition of a qualifying organisation in line with the Grants Policy.
• The organisation must have a formally adopted constitution.
• The organisation must have formal accounting arrangements and have a bank account in the name of the organisation, with two unrelated signatories.
• The award will only be granted to projects that benefit Erewash residents.
• Each application must provide full details of any additional funding that has been secured or applied for. Projects with any match funding may be considered more favourably.
• All applications must comply fully with this policy.
• Funding must be used in the same financial year (April – March) that the grant is awarded unless otherwise specified in the grant award notice or by approval of the council in writing.

 3. Funding aims, outcomes and outputs

The Fast Funding Community Grants programme focuses on outcomes looking at the differences that are made as a result of the project in line with the UK Governments Shared Prosperity Funding scheme.

Grant applications should;

• Detail how the proposed project or activity will achieve one or both of the Fast Funding Community Grants Policy outcomes and explain how the related outputs will be achieved.

Outcomes	Outputs
Increased engagement	Organisation or project increases their public engagement by at least ten percent (10%) as a result of the funded project or activity.
Impactful volunteering	Organisation or project increases their volunteers by at least ten percent (10%) as a result of the funded project or activity.

• Set out how additional benefits may be achieved in relation to the following:
  • Tackling the cost of living crisis.
  • Improving community cohesion.
  • Improving mental and physical health.
  • Reducing social and economic inequality.

Please note the council will give preference to funding applications which exceed one or both of the Fast Funding Community Grants Policy outputs and outcomes as part of the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.

 Examples of public engagement/volunteers increased by 10% could be, but are not limited to the following:-

• An organisation or project engages with 100 people. Following the successfully delivered project or activity, the organisation now engages with 110 people. (An engagement can be classed as someone accessing an activity if deemed appropriate as one off such as a class/course, or accessing a service on 3 or more occasions such as a community luncheon club.)

• An organisation or project has 10 volunteers working with them. Following the successfully delivered project or activity, the organisation now has 11 volunteers working with them. (A new volunteer should be classed as someone working with that organisation on 3 or more occasions such as volunteering in a community cafe.)

Example applications could be, but are not limited to the following examples;

People and Skills

Projects could include: 

• Increasing the number of people to use digital skills to access services and benefits, communicate with friends and family, or to develop basic and higher level digital skills needed in the workplace.
• Increasing the opportunity for training and impactful volunteering.
• Projects and/or purchases which increase an organisations engagement with the local community.
• Increase an organisations engagement with their community through developing social groups, support groups, community training, and health and wellbeing development.

Communities and Place

Projects could include:

• Increasing opportunities for communities to develop cohesion and integration through engagement.
• Increasing opportunity for engagement with intergenerational activities.
• Increasing community engagement in the delivery of services and how they are developed.
• Improving access to art and cultural activities where increased participation can be evidenced.
• Inclusion activities which bring people together to improve mental and physical wellbeing.
• Targeted projects to improve access to the arts, health & wellbeing projects including evidencing increased participation of minority ethnic groups, people with disabilities and those on low income.
• Increasing engagement in physical and mental health outcomes such as those that promote exercise, healthy diets and healthy lifestyles and outreach advice services for residents experiencing mental health issues associated with living in poverty or on low income.
• Increasing participation and engagement in physical activity and recreation.

4. How we will communicate grant funding

The council will promote the funding schemes available and will publish the details in the following ways:

• On the council's website and social media platforms;
• Communicate using a dedicated email address. 
• Through the use of local independent media;
• In council publications such as its community magazine EBC today.
• In partnership with local community and voluntary sector organisations.

5. How applications will be processed and assessed

Each application will be assessed against its relevance and contribution to the Fast Funding Grants Policy outputs and outcomes.  The appraisal process will look at:

• Your eligibility to apply;
• The extent to which your project meets the Grants Policy outputs;
• The extent to which your project meets the Grants Policy outcomes;
• How many people will benefit from your project;
• The level of need for the project;
• The level of benefit to Erewash residents; and
• The level of reserves held by your organisation.

In addition;

• Applications are checked for completeness, eligibility and additional information may be requested.
• Projects must demonstrate realistic costs and detailed budgets/breakdown.
• Projects must not duplicate services already being provided, however they can complement, add to or enhance services provided by others working locally.
• Applications must state any other partners involved with the project, their role and any financial contribution made or sought.
• Applications must state clearly how the project will be promoted.
• Match funding can include a gift in kind such as volunteer time, goods and services as well as a financial contribution.
• Applications from organisations which show a high level of unallocated reserves will not be considered.
• The council may consider a proportion of the total amount towards staffing or core costs where this is required to enable projects to be completed. However, no further funding commitments are guaranteed and full financial liability for related staffing costs remain with the applying organisation as well as any future redundancy costs.

6.  Support to complete the Community Grant Application

• The Community Engagement Officer will be able to provide further guidance on completing grant applications, including any specific requirements with assistance tailored to individual needs on request.
• Guidance is available on the council’s website which is also speech enabled.

7.  Terms and conditions

• The council’s award panel will decide the amount of award against each individual application. This may not necessarily be the full amount requested on the application.
• Grants must be used for the purposes specified in the application and/or the grant offer letter, which may contain additional comments. Any funds used for expenditure other than as stated on the application form must be repaid to the council immediately on demand, unless prior approval is given by the council.
• Where grant funding awarded which is not used within the financial year, or within the conditions of the award notice, the applying organisation must seek council approval to carry forward.
• Funding awarded in advance for an event/activity which the applicant subsequently cancels must be rearranged or if the activity cannot be held, funding must be returned to the council.
• Organisations not returning a satisfactory end of project evaluation report within six months of the end of the financial year may be subjected to a review by the council and may be required to repay part or all of the funding awarded.
• Failure to comply with the terms of the grant will result in the grant becoming repayable and exclusion of the organisation from applying for any future council grant schemes.
• Any organisation receiving support from the council must acknowledge the award of such funding on their website, in promotional literature, in media articles or via printed material.
• Retrospective funding for projects will not be accepted i.e. applying for a project undertaken prior to the application date.
• Individuals cannot submit applications, as they would not be classed as a qualifying organisation.
• Projects which involve or benefit one individual would not qualify.
• Projects which involve working with young people and/or vulnerable adults require their staff to have satisfactory DBS checks and a relevant safeguarding policy.
• Projects where organisations do not hold relevant insurance will be rejected.
• Projects where the activity is to promote belief in, or support for, a religion, philosophy or political party, or to provide services on the basis of adherence to a religion, philosophy or political party are not eligible.
• Applications for services/projects that are provided by a statutory organisation such as a Local Education Authority or Academy Trust, Health and Local Authority functions including Parish Council statutory duties are not eligible.
• Projects that have high/disproportionate administrative and or management costs and are not good value for money as assessed by the awarding panel will be rejected.
• Awarding Panel decisions are final and are not subject to an appeals process.
• The council retains the right to commission grant funded projects outside the framework of this policy as authorised by the Director of Environmental and Community Services.

What happens next?

The council anticipate being oversubscribed for the level of funding available - this means that some eligible applications may not receive funding or may receive less than they applied for.

The awarding panel will aim to approve grant funding awards and payment of monies to successful organisations as soon as is practicable following submission. The council may require representatives of successful organisations to make themselves available at a convenient time for presentation of the grant award.

Please note that no expenditure should be incurred before being informed that your application has been successful and grant award approved.

Contact details:

Community Engagement Officer

Erewash Borough Council

Ilkeston Town Hall,

Wharncliffe Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 5RP

Tel: 0115 907 2244

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.