Apply for Community Board funding

Community Boards proactively develop project ideas with community groups and organisations that address their local action plan and priorities. They also invite proposals for projects to support this work.

Alongside this the Community Board funding is open to grant applications from community and voluntary organisation projects and schemes that meet the fund criteria and Community Board priorities.

Project proposals and applications for Community Board funding can be made at any time throughout the year, 1 April to 31 January using the council’s online application form.

Applications normally take up to six weeks to process but this can be slightly longer for more complex applications. The Community Board funding is closed to applications during February and March.

Community Boards will need to allocate their budgets by 31 March each year in accordance with the Council’s financial procedures. Where funding has been awarded in-year but the project has not completed, the funding can be reserved into the following financial year to enable the project to be completed.

Once the Community Board budget has been fully allocated for the financial year, the funding will close. If the budget has been fully allocated it may be possible to apply in the following financial year.

Applications are invited from community groups and not for profit organisations that can show a need for financial support and evidence that the project meets the Community Board priorities or addresses a local need.

Community Board Managers will work with external organisations to help identify potential contributory funding from different sources to maximise impact. This includes considering cross Community Board projects that may be supported by neighbouring Board areas where appropriate.

Typically, we award grants to:

• constituted voluntary-led organisations with charitable aims
• registered charities
• charitable incorporated organisations (CIO)
• social enterprises
• community interest companies (CIC)
• companies limited by guarantee that have charitable aims
• town and parish councils

Volunteer-led organisations, registered charities and CIOs must:

• have a management committee with a minimum of four unrelated members
• have a bank or building society account in the name of the organisation/group, with a minimum of two unrelated cheque signatories
• have charitable aims
• provide evidence of good governance practices and sound financial management (including registering with the Charity Commission, CASC or other governing body, depending on the size of the organisation)

Usually, you must register with the Charity Commission if your charity is based in England or Wales and has over £5,000 income per year. We may ask for evidence of this in the form of a letter from the Charity Commission confirming receipt of your application for charitable status.

Social enterprises, Community Interest Companies (CIC) and other companies must have:

• a management committee with a minimum of three directors, or four directors if two are related
• a bank or building society account in the name of the organisation/company, with a minimum of two unrelated cheque signatories
• clear charitable purposes and a defined social benefit
• a recognised status (e.g. a company limited by guarantee), and be registered with the necessary relevant body (e.g. Companies House)
• a nominated organisation as an asset lock body.

In addition, social enterprises, CICs and other companies must demonstrate within applications that:

• the company has been registered for a minimum of 12 months
• a reasonable percentage of their income has been earned through trading
• the project they wish to fund is not a tradable asset or service
• the application is made for cost to deliver the project not managing the CIC
• the project or activity for which funding is sought is charitable i.e. it must not be part of the trading services for which they would usually have a charge
• there is clear evidence of need from the community and the benefit must also be clear

In managing your organisation, we would expect that the appropriate policies are in place.

These should include (if appropriate) but not be restricted to:

• safeguarding policies and procedures for children and vulnerable adults
• public liability insurance
• employer’s liability
• equality and diversity
• disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks carried out and in place for all paid and unpaid volunteer staff working with children and vulnerable adults

While we may not always ask that these are submitted with all applications, we do anticipate that you hold appropriate assurances and that these can be produced upon request.

Community Boards can consider grant applications of up to £15,000. Contributory funding is required for applications over £1,000.

Project proposals and applications must:

• show how the funding will be used to address one or more of the Community Board priorities and wider Council priorities
• be for specific time limited projects
• set out the project’s intended outcomes and evidence how it will benefit communities within the Community Board area
• provide comprehensive details of projected project income and expenditure and demonstrate value for money
• provide details of contributory funding
• where other sources have been sought, provide evidence and show how the Community Board’s contribution is an essential part of a multiple funding package
• if seeking funding of over £10,000, provide a sustainable project plan including risk management and additional evidence such as audited financial accounts and bank statements
• where ‘seed’ funding is being applied for, have a sustainable project plan including risk management

Project proposals and applications must not:

• be used to fund the statutory responsibilities of Buckinghamshire Council
• be for political purposes
• be for the benefit of a single individual
• fund activity or facilities which are the primary funding responsibility of another body
• fund activity aimed at the promotion of political or religious beliefs
• come from a commercial organisation when the purpose is to increase profit making activities

In addition to this the Community Boards would not normally fund:

• retrospective projects or where expenditure has already incurred/committed
• core, routine or ongoing maintenance costs
• fundraising activities and events or organisations fundraising for outward distribution to other service providers
• political or religious activities or capital improvements to any religious building (faith organisations may apply for funding towards a project/activity that is open to the whole community and has wider social benefits)
• projects already receiving funding from Buckinghamshire Council- there may be exceptions where funding could be used to enhance or expand existing projects
• projects involving membership-only organisations where the general public (i.e. non- members) are unable to use the facilities

1. You must acknowledge Buckinghamshire Council’s financial support in any publicity, printed or website material and use the council’s approved logo.
2. All quotes from suppliers must be on headed paper, from brochures or websites and must be made available on request. If the project is using external suppliers, we recommend applicants source more than one quote to help achieve and demonstrate best value.
3. If the project requires Planning Permission, Building Regulations or any other form of licence approval, this must be sought before submitting your application.
4. You must be able to provide copies of all receipts and invoices associated with your grant upon request as your project may be audited after completion. It is the applicant’s responsibility to keep these receipts for six years following completion of the project.
5. Funds awarded may only be used for the purpose specified in the application; it is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the officers if there are any changes to a project awarded a grant by a Community Board.
6. Community Boards will make a significant investment each year into local communities. To ensure investment continues to target the correct projects, we require applicants to complete the agreed project evaluation process. Failure to do so will prevent you from being eligible to apply for a further grant in the future and Buckinghamshire Council may request that funding is returned.
7. A funding payment schedule will be agreed at the time of the grant being awarded, normally on completion of the project. Payments may be made in quarterly, 6 monthly or one-off instalments depending on the project timescales and value of the funding. Unless otherwise agreed, grants must be drawn down within the same financial year as the award based on evidence of spend.
8. If for any reason the applicant is unable to continue with the delivery of the project, there will be no further commitment from Buckinghamshire Council.
9. If the applicant wishes to roll over unspent allocated funds beyond the agreed project delivery period, they must first seek approval by contacting the Community Board coordinator or council officer.
10. Funding awards of over £10,000 will be subject to a Grant Agreement.