Neighbourhood Renewal Community Chest

The following text is an extract from a Heart of England Community Foundation promotional leaflet for the Neighbourhood Renewal Community Chest....

Community groups and small voluntary organisations working at a very local level in the most deprived neighbourhoods or target communities (see below) can apply for between £50 - £5000. Target communities include those where people are socially excluded or marginalised, such as black and minority ethnic groups, young people, refugees, faith communities, travellers, older people, or people with disabilities.

 In addition, our priority is to support groups which have not so far had any funding from Government grant programmes directly. You will also need to be able to show that the grant is used in a way that directly contributes to regeneration or development of your local area or community.

 Grants of up to £5000 are available for things like:

 ·        providing childcare to allow parents and carers to take part in community group meetings and regeneration activities

·        buying materials for a community art club or drama society

·        funding a community festival or sports day

·        printing a community newsletter

·        hiring an interpreter or translating documents

·        paying for a new group to hire a room to hold a first meeting

·        buying basic IT equipment and the training to go with it

·        paying for a training programme or learning opportunity for a group’s committee or members

·        paying for an exchange visit to a similar group in another town to share good practice

·        designing and printing community group stationery or publicity materials

·        renovating disused premises so they can be used as a community centre or as a group’s headquarters

·        the upkeep of a local community amenity - for example, a children’s playground

·        repeat or follow-up payments to groups that have previously received Community Chest funding and are operating successfully. You will however need to show how you will continue to fund your activity beyond the end of the community chest programme.

 The Community Chest will not fund:

 ·        political or purely religious activity

·        activities already funded by another funder

·        payments more than 6 months in advance of the purpose or need to which the grant is to be put

·        gifts, entertaining, bad debts, pensions

 The aim of the Community Chest is to:

 ·        encourage greater involvement by local people in local community activities

·        strengthen the management of local community activities and organisations

·        help community groups to improve their local neighbourhood

·        help minority ethnic communities and others to explore their history, their cultures, and their  traditions, and through better understanding of cultural diversity, promote racial harmony and community cohesion.

·        support the contribution of local community and voluntary groups to the regeneration of their  local area

When assessing your application we will be looking for activities that: for activities that:

·        Help the regeneration of the area

·        Respond to local needs and priorities

·        Have the support of the relevant community

·        Tackle disadvantage and social exclusion

·        Increase the numbers of local people actively involved in community projects

·        Add to existing community activities

·        Provide value-for-money

·        Reflects the needs of diverse communities

·        Show a commitment to equal opportunities in practice

The closing date for the first round of grants is: 15^th February 2002

For more information and an application pack contact:

Kikie Hogg
Heart of England Community Foundation,
Aldermoor House, PO Box 227,
Aldermoor Lane, 
Coventry

Tel: (024) 76 884386
Fax: (024) 76 884726

e-mail: info.hoe@virgin.net

Download this leaflet in pdf format.

This page was last updated 28/01/02