Funding opportunity

Comic Relief Local Communities Fund Available for London and England-wide
The Comic Relief Local Communities Grant Programme is currently accepting applications from groups across most of London and much of England

The London Community Foundation which administers the London programme on behalf of Comic Relief is accepting applications for Round 15 from all areas of London.

Local community groups, resident associations, community centres, social enterprises, community interest companies, community interest organisations, credit unions and charities may apply for grants of between £1,000 and £10,000. The funding is intended to support community projects that empower local people and enable them to make lasting change in their communities.

Grant recipients can use the money to increase local services, build skills of local people, increase community cohesion, and respond to local economic needs.

Examples of the type of activities that can be funded are:

• Furniture projects.
• Projects providing access to benefits advice.
• Projects combating fuel poverty.
• Community consultation exercises.
• Community employment projects.
• Food co-ops.
• Running costs, including salaries, core costs and project costs.
• Committee and volunteer/staff training.
• Community sports activities.

Projects should be run by the people who are directly affected by the issues they are dealing with. Priority will be given to small, locally based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community.

Grants will only be awarded where the grant makes up at least 30% of the total costs of the project.
This is a highly competitive grants programme and, according to the London Community Foundation, only 1 in 17 applications were successful in their last round.

The deadline for Round 15 is 2 December 2013.
The dates have also been set for two more rounds:

• Round 16 will run from 3 January 2014 to 24 March 2014.
• Round 17 will run from 1 April 2014 to 9 June 2014.

Full details can be found on the London Community Foundation  website 

www.londoncf.org.uk/grants/available-grants/overview.aspx

If you’re not in London you can still get a grant from your local community foundation, check here http://ukcommunityfoundations.org/programmes/comic_relief/