Funding for community projects

When you come up with a potentially game-changing idea for your community it can feel like a bummer when you realise you don’t have the money. But fear not. There are loads of organisations offer funding for community projects. And you won't need to pay it back. Read our guide to find out more.

What is a community project?

Community projects are essentially community led initiatives in your local area which directly benefit people in that area. This could be anyone from children and young people to adults, the elderly or a disadvantaged group. 

It’s worth mentioning that working on a community project usually involves giving up your time for free. For example, 18-year-old Ceri Staplin is involved in a project called Holiday Hangout. To help out, she travels to villages around Dorchester and runs free activities for kids who are bored when school is closed. What’s more, the project has raised in excess of £10,000 in grants over three years thanks to all the volunteers helping out with the application process.

“The first few applications were hard work because they’re pretty serious and you don’t want to mess it up. But after that it gets easier,” says Ceri. “You basically need to provide the same information every time. In our case, we get everyone on our youth board together and take it in turns to fill out the different sections. That way we can divide and conquer.”

Skills and benefits of taking part in a community projects

As well as benefiting your community, taking part in these schemes is really good for your own development. This is because you’ll pick up key skills, such as how to get funding, from taking on so much responsibility. Plus, being able to demonstrate your new-found abilities on your CV will also work in your favour when you start applying for jobs.

For example, Georgina Hurcomb, 25, believes that being involved in a film project for elderly people in Bournemouth has been educational. “The project’s taught me a lot about budgeting and working with other young people. On top of that, it’s actually fun and I’ve made a lot of new friends,” she says. The project was called Bridging the Gap and was set up using money from V Cashpoint. It has made a huge difference to the lives of the people involved. “We managed to change perceptions of what young people think about elderly people, and vice versa.”

“I’d tell other people who want to get involved to go for it,” adds Ceri. “Before I didn’t have a clue about what it takes to plan and run events, but now I feel very confident in my leadership skills. In fact, I’ll be running a youth musical festival in the summer. Not to mention, job applications are also now easier because I’ve got the hang of filling in forms.”

How to get funding for community projects

The donor can be a charitable trust, a charitable foundation, a business, a local council or the Government. It’s important to know that there are loads of social enterprises and national and community based organisations in the UK that can help. In each case, you’ll need to apply for funding formally. This is usually done by filling in an application form followed by an interview.

How much is a community grant?

Community grants can range from £25 to several thousand pounds. You tend to receive the money in lump sums. You’ll need to be open and honest with the donor about how you plan to spend the money beforehand. And there’s no point lying because they’ll probably ask you to show receipts for all your expenses afterwards.

Applying for funding for community projects

Each fund has a slightly different system, so we’ll just give you a vague idea of what it’s like. 

It’s common to send off an application form and, if chosen, have an interview to explain your plans in more detail. We should mention that applying for small grants tends to be the most straightforward. On the other hand, if you’re applying for larger sums of money things get infinitely more complicated.

You’ll usually need to state:

• Where the project is taking place (funds can only cover initiatives in certain areas)
• How many people are involved (some schemes set a minimum amount of volunteers that have to be involved)
• In what ways the project will benefit your chosen community
• How long you expect the project to run for

Managing the money

Once your project gets approved, it’ll be down to you to manage and spend the money. But first you’ll need money to manage and spend. The best way to go about this is probably to find somewhere that awards grants. Then, you’ll have to present a detailed budget during the application phase. And whoever the donors end up being will be there for you during the running of the project.