posted by Rhonda McFarlane, Funding Officer, Chief Executive’s Department
Holiday Grants for Children (UK)
From the 1st March 2017 schools, youth groups, not for profit organisations and charities will be able to apply for a grant from the Henry Smith Charity’ Holiday Grants programme.
The programme provides access to recreational trips or holidays for groups of children less than 13 years of age who experience disadvantage or who have disabilities. Applications can be made for grants towards a single trip, which could be a day trip or a longer residential of up to seven days in length. This could be to a countryside or city location but must be outside of the children’s immediate locality.
Examples include:
- Camping
- Trips to adventure activity centres
- The seaside.
Grants of between £500 and £2,500 are available; to cover a maximum of two thirds of the cost of a holiday or trip, the remainder of the funding must be raised elsewhere.
Applications for trips that take place between the 1st May and the 30th June 2017 will be accepted between the 1st March and the 19th May, decisions are made on a first come-first served basis (within the application periods stated) until funds are spent.
http://www.henrysmithcharity.org.uk/holiday-grants-for-children.html
The Summer Play Scheme Programme 2017 Opens for Applications (UK)
The Hilden Charitable Funds Summer Play Scheme is now open for applications.
The Fund supports community groups and voluntary agencies with an income of less than £150,000 that run summer play schemes for children between the ages of 5 and 18 in disadvantaged communities. Supported schemes should be locally based, last between two and six weeks and have strong volunteer support. Some priority will be given to projects which show that they are inclusive of children from refugee families and have BME involvement.
The closing date for applications is the 24th May 2017.
http://www.hildencharitablefund.org.uk/
Funding to Promote Swimming (UK)
The Swimathon Foundation Community Grants Scheme offers funding of between £300 and £2,500 to innovative and sustainable projects which will help more people participate in and enjoy swimming and to make swimming more accessible.
To be eligible for a Swimathon grant organisations need to be supported by pools that are participating in Swimathon. Some of examples of groups that Swimathon Foundation Community grants will support, but are not limited to community groups, swimming clubs, senior groups, youth groups, sports clubs, disability charities, scout groups and healthy living groups in the UK are eligible to apply.
Examples of projects supported in the past include:
- Banishing Aqua Fears Yes You Can! who were awarded £1,734 to make swimming more accessible to residents on the Isles of Islay.
- Jura and Braintree Mencap Swimmers based in Essex, were awarded £2,500 to ensure people with learning disabilities have the opportunity to participate in activities in the local area.
Applicants must be a representative of, or have the support of, a pool participating in Swimathon 2016. The closing date for applications is the 17th March 2017.
https://swimathonfoundation.org/posts/2017/01/23/the-swimathon-grants-scheme-application-is-now-open
Funding for School and Youth Residential Trips (Scotland)
Teachers and Youth Leaders can apply for funding through the Scottish Youth Hostelling Association (SYHA) new Youth Active grant scheme.
The fund aims to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds take part in a school or youth group residential trip to build confidence, resilience, social and employability skills. Teachers and Youth Leaders can apply for up to 40 per cent support for each eligible young person who would not otherwise have this opportunity due to deprivation or other disadvantage.
Applications must be received at least ten weeks prior to arrival and grants are deducted from the final bill.
https://www.syha.org.uk/syha-charity/syha-youth-active-grants.aspx?dm_i=LQE,429KP,6LKTGE,EPOFF,1
Funding to Enable Disadvantaged Young People Reach their Potential (UK)
Registered charities (including Schools that are registered as charities for young people with disabilities) that work with disadvantaged children under the age of 25 can apply for funding of up to £10,000 through the Ironmongers Company’s grants programme. In particular, the company wants to support projects that provide opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people to fulfil their potential and educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills. Projects could, for example:
- Support special educational needs
- Address behavioural problems or promote citizenship
- Parenting or life skills.
Preference will be given to projects piloting new approaches where the outcomes will be disseminated to a wider audience. Although the grants are available within the UK preference is given to projects in inner London.
The next deadline for applications is the 31st July 2017.
http://www.ironmongers.org/charity_organisations.htm
Trees for Schools (UK)
The Tree Council, the lead tree campaigning charity working to promote the importance of trees within the changing environment, has announced that its Trees for Schools grant making programme is now open for applications.
Funds are available for schools within the UK who are able to show that children under the age of 16 will be actively engaged in tree planting projects during National Tree Week 2017 (26th November to 4th December 2016, or as soon as possible afterwards). Schools must be local authority run or registered as a ‘not for profit’ organisation (including a community interest company, a charity organisation or a social enterprise). The Tree Council can fund projects between £100 and £700 and successful applicants will receive up to 75% towards their planting four fruit trees. For example, if your project totals £700, The Tree Council would offer up to £525. The remaining 25% will need to be secured by your school or organisation.
The closing date for applications is the 31st March 2017.
http://www.treecouncil.org.uk/Grants/Trees-for-Schools
The Carbon Trust Green Business Fund (England, Scotland and Wales)
The Carbon Trust has launched a new energy efficiency support service for small and medium-sized companies in England, Scotland and Wales. Support is provided through energy assessments, training workshops, equipment procurement support and up to 30% capital contribution, to a maximum of £10,000, towards the purchase of energy saving equipment. A series of workshops are planned to help small businesses work out how best to identify the energy saving opportunities available to them. To qualify, SMEs are defined as such if they meet two of the three following criteria:
- No more than 250 employees
- Annual turnover not more than £25.9m
- Or annual balance sheet not more than £12.9m.
Applications are accepted and assessed on a rolling basis.
Tesco Bags of Help funding has recently changed to allow a wider range of projects that bring benefits to the community to apply. Please could you help us promote this to groups and organisations to across Scotland by sharing this information with your networks, colleagues, community groups and organisations. Feel free to use it in digital communications, social media and e-newsletters.
Any help is kindly appreciated. If you have any questions about the funding don’t hesitate to get in touch.
E-news copy, Change is good! Tesco Bags of Help to Fund Many More Local Projects
Do you think you know what Tesco Bags of Help funds? Read on as the Bags of Help team have been listening to applicants, customers and Tesco colleague feedback and we’ve made some immediate improvements:
- Apply anytime for projects that bring benefits to the community
- Projects can be outdoor or indoor improvements, activities and equipment purchases
- Apply for capital and revenue funding between £1000 and £4000
- Simpler online application process
- Community groups, schools, charities, local authorities and not for profits can all apply
- You can apply again for a different project at any time
To make the programme more local the number of projects funded every two months has been increased. We still fund projects that improve or encourage the use of outdoor spaces such as allotments and community gardens. But now grants also fund buying items such as sports kits, camping equipment, spades, litter pickers or specialised medical equipment and improvements to community buildings.
Following a public vote in Tesco stores every two months, three projects in each of the local Tesco store areas will receive a grant, with first place receiving up to £4000, second place up to £2000 and third place £1000.
For information on how to apply please click here http://bit.ly/bagsofhelp4
If you’ve got a question or need help to apply please contact our friendly team of Scottish community enablers – find their contact details here http://bit.ly/scotbagsofhelp
