£225K funding pot for community projects launched

Voluntary and community groups can now apply for three-year funding of between £5,000 and £25,000 per annum for projects that support vulnerable people living in St Albans District.

St Albans City and District Council is looking to distribute £225K in total from the Community Partnerships Fund in April.

The funding is aimed at providing additional support for the most vulnerable in the community. Voluntary and community groups applying for funding must be able to evidence the impact of their ongoing projects on the beneficiaries. 

Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion for St Albans City and District Council said: “Funding applications will be welcomed from voluntary and community groups wanting to expand existing projects or to develop new schemes that support vulnerable people in our District. Projects funded in the past include a youth club, a bereavement service for young people and a mother and baby supported accommodation unit.” 

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 19 February. Funding decisions will be made by the Council’s Grants Panel at the beginning of March.

Applications will be assessed against criteria based upon priorities set out in the St Albans City and District Inclusion Strategy. To be successful, the project must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• To provide support to vulnerable communities leading towards greater equality within the District.  
• To enable local people to become involved in community life.
• To encourage people from different groups in the community to get on well together. For example, people of different faiths, cultural backgrounds or with and without a disability. 
• To increase people’s involvement and interest in local decision making.

The funding can be used to expand existing services, develop new services or to meet running costs. It cannot be used to replace or replicate existing mainstream funding.

More information about the relevant criteria is available on St Albans City and District Council’s website at: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/grants

Organisations interested in applying can find out more at an information session on Monday 22 January between 4pm and 6pm. This is being held at the Council’s offices at the Civic Centre, St Peter’s Street, St Albans.

To apply for funding, organisations must complete the Community Partnerships Fund application form. This is available to download from Supply Hertfordshire at: 

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home.  

Applicants must first register their interest in order to access the application form. The portal is being used to help make it easier for organisations to manage their application process and to submit supporting documentation. 

The Community Partnerships Fund is just one of four Council funds that provide support and funding to the voluntary and community sector. More information about the way the Council distributes funding to the voluntary and community sector is available on the Council's website.

Councillor contact:
Cllr Brian Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Inclusion, St Albans City and District Council
Phone: 01582 767621, Email: cllr.b.ellis@stalbans.gov.uk

Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson, Senior Communications Officer, St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317, E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk 

Notes:

The Community Partnerships Fund supports voluntary and community groups in delivering services to the most vulnerable in line with priorities in 2017-20 Albans City and District Inclusion Strategy.