High Wycombe Town Committee community facilities grants criteria
Introduction
Community Facilities grants are awarded to not-for-profit voluntary and community sector groups based and operating in one of the unparished Wards of High Wycombe. The maximum award is £10,000.
Grants are capital monies awarded for one-off projects, for the purpose of improving or upgrading a community facility. Applicants must provide proof that they are offering a service to their local communities which will be of direct benefit to residents living in the unparished wards of High Wycombe.
Evidence must also be provided to show that a grant will provide value for money in terms of what can be achieved for residents.
Main Criteria
The project must meet at least one of the Council's 2020 to 2025 priorities. The Council has identified four key priority areas against which all applications will be assessed.
No group is expected to meet every priority; however, there may a strong synergy between the priorities and actions in one area that may contribute to the delivery of more than one priority.
For a facilities grant, 50% of the cost of works must be match-funded up to a maximum of £10,000. The applicant must provide proof of matched funding. A facilities grant will normally be based on the lowest of three quotations, copies to be provided with the application form.
The council's key priorities are:
- increasing prosperity
- strengthening our communities
- improving our environment
- protecting the vulnerable
For further information on Buckinghamshire Council’s priorities, see our Corporate Plan for 2020 to 2025.
Examples of Successful Applications
Examples of the type of application which would meet the criteria are listed below. This is by no means an exhaustive list:
- improving or updating toilets
- refurbishing sports facilities, for example a shower block
- refurbishing a kitchen
- renewing a floor
- re-decorating
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 or group, with a minimum of 2 unrelated cheque signatories (we are unable to send funds to personal bank accounts)
- have not returned evaluation reports 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 or income well more than the threshold for charitable registration
- are not based and operating in the unparished area of High Wycombe
We are unable to fund:
- unspecified contributions to general fund-raising appeals or large projects
- for profit or commercial elements of charitable organisations
- public bodies to carry out their statutory obligations and for activities that are supported by other statutory bodies
- 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 or faith activities (faith organisations may apply for funding towards a project or 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)
- a project funded in the previous year
- activity which includes alcohol, drugs or gambling
We do not normally fund:
- projects that exclude community access
- retrospective projects or where expenditure has already been incurred or committed. There must be at least 6 weeks between receipt of applications and the start of activities for the assessment process to be completed and proof to be provided to show a grant is needed
- 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
- projects which could potentially exacerbate or exploit tensions or misunderstandings within communities
Grant terms and conditions
Read the grant terms and conditions DOCX, 125KB.
Process
In general, applicants will receive funding in advance. The small size of most voluntary and community groups means that they are reliant on grants and donations to deliver their project and cannot go ahead unless a grant is received in advance.
It is essential that applicants provide evidence that there is a need for a grant and that the activity for which funding is required will not go ahead without it.
Grants may be applied for at any time during the year. However, the grant fund has a limited budget and grants will be awarded on a first come first served basis. Decisions will be made within 6 weeks of receipt of applications.
Apply for a community facilities grant
To discuss your application, email partnerships&[email protected] providing your contact details and a brief description of your organisation and project.
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.
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