Apply for Community Board small project funding

Small project funding provides funding of up to £1,000, and is for community and voluntary groups and organisations across Buckinghamshire. This funding is especially useful to those working at local community level across a wide range of activities.

Community Boards set local priorities. They then develop action plans which address these priorities to suit local circumstances. Projects that address local priorities and needs are welcome from community and voluntary sector groups.

Emergency funding up to £1,000 is also available, for example for flood recovery costs.

Applications must be made to the relevant Community Board and funding used for the benefit of the community area concerned.

Small project funding aims to support a resilient voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Buckinghamshire. It can fund the entire cost of small one-off projects.

We welcome all voluntary and community groups to apply.

Timescales

For emergency funding applications, you will need to discuss the urgent nature of the application with the Community Board Manager before applying.

For all other applications, we will process your application taking into account the project start date. This is provided we have received a complete application, along with any relevant documents.

Each Community Board will have their own processing times for dealing with an application once it has been passed by the Funding Team. Contact the Community Board for information on their processing times.

Applicants for funding must satisfy the conditions set out in "Who and what we will support" below.

You may not meet these requirements, for example, you may not be a constituted group. We would still encourage you to get in touch with your Community Board. We can discuss your situation and project proposal and explore all the options and support available.

Community Boards can consider small project funding applications of up to £1,000, on the basis they are for the entire cost of a one-off project. Unlike Community Board Project Funding, Contributory Funding is not required for Small Project funding. If successful, the entire cost of your small one-off project will be funded.

All applications are subject to the Council’s Anti-Fraud & Corruption Policy

On project completion you will be asked to:

provide a redacted bank statement to show proof of payment
provide copies of all receipts and invoices associated with your project
complete an evaluation form

Funds awarded may only be used for the purpose specified in the application. It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the Community Board if there are any changes to the project.

Read the terms and conditions for funding [PDF, 157KB].

There’s a huge variety of projects and activities that we will support.

These include, but are not limited to:

equipment
coaching or training activity
community events and activities

We can also provide small project funding to ensure facilities and volunteers are able to operate safely and funding to support small groups and community projects to reopen.

Typically, we award funding 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
membership groups

We are unable to accept applications from groups that:

do not have a bank or building society account in the name of the organisation/group, with a minimum of 2 unrelated cheque signatories (we are unable to send funds to personal bank accounts)
have not returned monitoring forms for previous projects
are subject to an investigation by the Charity Commission, the police, or any other organisation in a legal capacity
fail due diligence or do not comply with Charity Commission guidelines, for example we would not provide funding to organisations that had related bank signatories, several related trustees, income well in excess of the threshold for charitable registration etc.

We are unable to fund:

unspecified contributions to general fund-raising appeals or large projects (if your proposal is part of a larger project, you may be eligible for Community Board Funding)
for profit or commercial elements of charitable organisations
public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations
direct replacement of statutory or public funding
political activity or campaigning
contingency funding
fundraising activities
sponsored events, multiple trophies, or prizes
individuals
profit making or business ventures, including start-up costs
activities that are primarily about the promotion of worship/ faith activities (faith organisations may apply for funding towards a project/activity that is open to the whole community and has wider social benefits)
recurrent projects or events
contribution to salaries (we can support sessional costs within a project)
projects that have previously received funding from Community Boards
activity that includes alcohol, drugs or gambling

We do not normally fund:

retrospective projects or where expenditure has already been incurred/committed
national or regional charities, although we can support local branches of national charities if they are financially independent and locally managed
salaries
organisations whose free reserves include more than 12 months of running costs
medical research and equipment
organisations that do not have their own bank account (through prior agreement a group may nominate and authorise an organisation to apply on their behalf)
School PTA and Friends groups unless the project supports the wider community
non project costs for example general core costs and capital items for offices

Before you apply

You need to discuss your project with your Community Board Manager before you apply. Their contact details are shown on each Community Board page.

This enables them to check that:

you are eligible for funding
your application meets the board priorities
sufficient funds are available

Find contact details for your Community Board Manager here:

Find your local Community Board

How to apply

Once you have discussed your proposal with your Community Board Manager, they will email an online form for you to fill in.

If you are unhappy with our decision

There is no right of appeal on decisions. This applies at all stages during the application, due diligence and decision-making processes.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of your application, you can make a complaint.

Community Board project funding

Your project may be eligible for Community Board project funding.

To find out more, see Apply for Community Board funding.

Contents

Apply for Community Board small project funding

Timescales

Funding criteria

Who and what we will support

Terms and conditions

Before you apply

How to apply

If you are unhappy with our decision

Community Board project funding