Funding Insight update 06.03.19

Blackburn with Darwen Open4Community

Community groups can now access potential grant funding opportunities through the free Blackburn with Darwen Open4Community online search tool.

Register and find out more

For all Blackburn with Darwen Council funding bids

Please check whether match funding is required, if it is please contact and inform your Finance colleague.

Funding opportunities greater than £100,000

New funding for urban parks and green spaces

The UK Government has announced £9.7 million for local authorities to improve their parks and green spaces. A further £2.75 million confirmed for the Pocket parks plus programme and £1.2 million invested in the National Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Future Parks Accelerator initiative.

Councils across the country are to benefit from more than £13 million funding to breathe new life in to our green spaces for the benefit of all, Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP confirmed. Maintenance costs to essential playground repairs and the creation of new green spaces, £9.7 million of new funding will give local leaders and communities’ resources to better maintain, protect and increase their recreational spaces.

An additional £2.75 million will also be made available for the pocket parks plus programme to support communities to take the lead in transforming their neglected and derelict spaces.

A further £1.2 million has been provided to the National Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Future Parks Accelerator initiative. The partnership supports local authorities to test new and innovative approaches to managing and funding parks, ensuring the benefits of public parks and green spaces are enjoyed by future generations.

Further information can be found on the Gov.UK website

Grant competition for innovative business ideas

Smart grants are the latest programme from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, to de-risk innovation and enable business growth. This competition provides funding for innovation research and development (R&D) from feasibility (including market research), through to technology or prototype testing and development stages up to (but not including) commercialisation.

Proposals must demonstrate:

• A clear game-changing and/or disruptive innovative idea leading to new products, processes or services
• An idea that is significantly ahead of others in the field, set for rapid commercialisation
• A strong and deliverable business plan that addresses market potential and needs
• Good value for money, which will always be a consideration in Innovate UK funding decisions
• A clear, evidence-based plan to deliver significant economic impact, return on investment (ROI) and growth through commercialisation, as soon as possible after project completion
• Clear, considerable potential to significantly impact the UK economy and/or productivity in a positive way

UK businesses of any size or research and technology organisations can lead a project alone or in collaboration with others, depending on the project length and size, and should involve at least one small or medium-sized enterprise.

Where the total eligible costs are between £25,000 to £500,000 projects should last between 6 and 18 months. Projects with total eligible project costs of £25,000 to £2 million should last between 19 months and 3 years.

Grants of up to 70% of eligible costs are available depending on the size and nature of the business applying.

All projects awarded funding must start by the 4th November 2019. The competition deadline is at midday on 24 April 2019

Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website

New funding to keep connected devices and applications safe and secure

Innovate UK is to invest up to £6 million from UKRI’s Strategic Priorities Fund in collaborative, business led research and development projects. The aim of this competition is to solve industry-focused major cyber security-related challenges in the Internet of Things (IoT).  Applications are expected to include a plan to test nearer-to-market interventions and experiments in real environments. The outcomes of the funding are expected to be new products, industrial processes or services.

Proposals must address at least one of the following themes:

• Operational resilience technologies for the protection and recovery of data in IoT.
• Intelligent control systems for industry, and commercial and public sector buildings to ensure critical systems function as they were designed.
• Intelligently protecting the occupants and the systems of the digital home.

Total eligible project costs must be between £2.5 million and £4 million with applicants able to request up to £2 million as a grant covering up to 70% of eligible project costs (actual intervention rates depend on the type of organisation applying for funding). Projects must start by 1st December 2019 and end by 31st December 2021. Projects can last between 18 and 24 months.

UK based businesses of any size carrying out project work in the UK and intending to exploit the results in or from the UK can apply. Businesses must also be collaborating with other UK based businesses, research organisations, public sector organisations or charities. Projects must involve at least one academic partner and at least one micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).

The competition closes at 12:00pm on Wednesday 1st May 2019. Applicants that need more information can email support@innovateuk.ukri.org or call the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357.

Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website

Funding for projects that address the development needs of young children

Comic Relief has announced the launch of a new “Children Survive and Thrive: Rise and Shine” initiative to develop child centred approaches that address the comprehensive development needs of children during their early years, up to and including their transition to primary school.

Grants of up to £150,000 in the UK and £300,000 in Kenya and Malawi are available for projects lasting between 3 and 5 years.

The funding will be available to organisations that directly support families with young children.  Organisations with demonstrable experience in one or more of the key areas – for instance in health, or in education – may be able to extend this and integrate multiple elements of early childhood development.

Proposals can be made by single applicants or by partnerships of two or three organisations that will receive funding (but only one organisation can act as grant holder.)

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on the 22nd March 2019. Applicants that are shortlisted will be given a further 7 weeks to submit a full proposal. The Stage 2 deadline will be 12 noon GMT on Friday 31st May 2019.

Further information can be found on the Comic Relief website

Funding opportunities between £25,000 and £100,000

Homes in Community Hands

Power to Change is awarding grants of between £15,000 and £100,000 (the average will be around £50,000) to community led housing projects that will create schemes that deliver affordable homes for rent or sale to locally connected people. These can be either as new build housing or by refurbishing empty properties.

The funding is focused on community groups in the early stages of their community-led housing development and is intended to support feasibility and pre-development work, leading up to submitting a planning application.

Grants awarded through the programme can be used for the following:

• Feasibility work to assess the viability of a site or buildings for development
• Pre-development costs to develop plans, leading to submitting a planning application (if required)
• Post-planning costs for work to get your project ready to start on site

Funds are available to genuinely innovative community led housing projects anywhere in England. The fund will open for applications on 4 March 2019 and will remain open until December 2021.

Further information can be found on the power to change website

Lord’s Taverners accessible minibuses grant programme

The Lord’s Taverners, the UK’s leading youth cricket and disability sports charity, has re-opened its Accessible Minibuses grants programme. Schools, clubs and youth organisations across the UK that cater for young people under the age of 25 who have a physical/ sensory/ learning disability can apply to the Lords Taverners for specially-adapted, wheelchair-accessible minibuses.

Last year the Lords Taverners delivered 40 specially-adapted, wheelchair-accessible minibuses. Examples of schools that received a specially-adapted minibus are:

• Lakeside School in Hertfordshire;
• The Garth School and the Priory School in Spalding (Lincolnshire); and
• Perseid School in Morden, Surrey.

These vehicles give young people with disabilities access to new places and experiences. Lord’s Taverners minibuses are based on the current Ford Transit model, with a diesel engine. The average cost to the charity of an accessible minibus is over £61,000. Please note that the Lord’s Taverners are unable to support schools that cater for socially disadvantaged children or mainstream schools for children with behavioural problems.

Applications to the programme can be submitted at any time and are reviewed at the end of each quarter.

Further information can be found on the Lords Taverners website

Funding to assist rural businesses and communities

The Princes Trust Countryside Fund has re-opened for applications.  Each year, the fund provides more than £1m in grants to projects across the UK. Organisations and charities that support farmers, rural businesses and communities can apply for grants of up to £50,000.

Funding is available for both capital and revenue costs and must meet at least one of the following key rural issues:

• To improve the prospects of viability for family farm businesses
• To sustain rural communities and drive economic vibrancy
• To support aid delivery in emergency and building resilience.

Previous projects supported include:

• Oathall Community College Farm which received funding towards a new farm shop and providing work experience for over 200 students.
• Crossgates Community Primary School a small primary school that is introducing pupils to the principles of growing food.

Further information can be found on the Princes Countryside Fund website

Funding to support the development of small charities and social enterprises

The Fore Trust has announced that the next funding round to support the development of small charities, social enterprises and community interest companies will open for registrations on the 1st April 2019 at 10 am with a closing date of the 29th April 2019.

The Trust is offering development funding of up to £30,000 and business support to develop and expand the capacity of small charities, social enterprises and community interest companies. To qualify applicant organisations will need to have a turnover of less than £500,000 per year.

To apply for funding, organisations must register at the start of each funding round. Numbers for each round are capped and registration is accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once the cap is reached, the round is closed. Once successfully registered, organisations are invited to submit a simple application.

Examples of previous grants awarded include:

• Street Doctors who received a grant of £30,000 to enable the organisation to transition from being a small-scale student voluntary organisation to a national movement.  The funding enables the organisation to employ a part time CEO and to develop the infrastructure to formally contract with Youth Offending Institutions and Teams.
• Art Against Knives which uses art as a tool for communication and personal development for 16-25 year olds received a grant of £27,510 to help fund the strategic development of the organisation to strengthen its longer-term sustainability.
• Circle Crew for Change which is the UK’s first youth mutual organisation owned by young people, led by young people and for young people received a grant of £30,000 to fund a part-time Project Development Manager to drive the organisation at the critical transitional period in its development.

Further information can be found on the Fore Trust website

Funding opportunities under £25,000

Asda Foundation Grants for Local Community Projects

The Asda Foundation is committed to developing stronger, better connected, sustainable communities across the UK. The Significant Local Community Projects programme allows colleagues to nominate initiatives which will make a real long-term difference, benefiting the wider community and transforming communities to improve lives locally.

Awards are typically made to projects where:

• The charity or good cause has developed a relationship with local the local store or home office at a grassroots level
• The work will tackle the underlying problems in the local community
• Community needs and aspirations are evident in the development of the project
• The project benefits the wider community not just a single user group
• There is a need for this facility locally
• It will make a real long-term difference and will transform the community, improving the lives of those who live there

Grants awarded have previously ranged from £2,600 – £32,000 (in 2017) although no minimum or maximum amounts are published. Projects funded include:

• Citizens Advice, Boston – £8,093.91 to set up a community computer access point where people can use their online facilities as some cannot afford a computer or have no IT skills.
• Light Project Peterborough – £19,380 to fund minibus to help move people from the streets into community living

Any charity/good cause wishing to apply should first approach their local store or home office to see if their project is something that the Community Champion would be willing to support. Applications can be submitted at any time.

Further information can be found on the Asda Foundation website

Funding available for Community Projects

Not for profit organisations including registered charities, community interest companies, health bodies, NHS Hospital Trusts, Foundation Trusts), local authorities and social housing providers (the list is not exhaustive) can apply for funding for projects that have a significant community benefit within individual Tesco regions.

The funding is being made available through the Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grants.  The types of projects funded will be very broad and will cover the direct costs needed to deliver the project, this could range from:

• Improvements to a building of regional or national significance that benefits the whole community such as a museum, hospice, specialist hospital ward,  art gallery, heritage centre, wildlife centre or an ancient monument.
• Improvements to an outdoor space of regional or national significance such as walking/cycling routes, gardens, nature reserves, wildlife areas, waterways or woodlands.
• Delivering activities or charitable services across a whole region such as health and wellbeing support activities, foodbanks, community clubs, homelessness support, sporting activities, recycling/upcycling programmes and regional school focused programmes and community festivals or events.
• Providing equipment that will benefit the whole region such as medical equipment, minibuses, mobile libraries and safety equipment.

There will be two voting rounds during 2019. Three community projects in each region will be voted on by customers in Tesco stores throughout the UK, in July/August and November/December 2019. Following the vote, the project that receives the most votes in the Tesco voting region will receive a grant of up to £25,000, second place receiving up to £15,000 and third place up to £10,000.

The July/August 2019 voting period will feature projects with a Health and Wellbeing theme and projects focusing on cancer, heart disease and diabetes will be prioritised.

Further information can be found on the Tesco Community Grants website

Grants available for new community businesses

The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund, which supports aspiring community groups in England wanting to set up new community businesses, has re-opened for applications.

Grants of up to £15,000, tailored business support as well as learning events are available to:

• Give community groups the support and tools required to start setting up their community business
• Provide them with the early stage finance to carry out consultations with local people and the opportunity for feasibility studies
• To develop a community business idea, that the community wants and needs.

Community support provider Locality is delivering Bright Ideas on behalf of Power to Change in partnership with Co-operatives UK, the Plunkett Foundation and Groundwork UK.

Eligible business projects will be:

• Locally rooted
• Accountable to the local community
• Trading for the benefit of the local community
• Delivering broad community benefit

This Round is now open and closes on Tuesday 9th April 2019.

Interested communities can now read the Guidance and Register for a FAQs webinar with a live Q&A to be held at 11am – 12pm on Wednesday 13 March 2019.

There will be additional funding rounds in:

• August – September 2019,
• February 2020 – April 2020,
• August – September 2020,
• February 2021 – March 2021.

Further information can be found on the My Community website

Masonic Charitable Foundation –   Later Life Inclusions grants programme

Local and national charities in England and Wales can apply to the Later Life Inclusions grants programme run by the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The Later Life Inclusion grants programme is open to charities working to reduce loneliness and isolation of vulnerable and disadvantaged people over 50.

Grants can be offered to charities that provide:

• Mental and physical health support
• Gateway and access to service, e.g. transport and technology
• Community based approaches, i.e. volunteering, positive ageing and neighbourhood support
• Advocacy, social and welfare support

The type of activities that could be funded includes:

• Support for emotional and psychological planning for later life
• Digital inclusion sessions to enable older people to access services
• Activities and clubs enabling older people to remain active and make friends
• Providing companionship and befriending schemes for periods of transition
• Advice and information on options for those with health conditions
• Carers and respite support

The programme offers both small grants of up to £15,000 to charities with an annual income of up to £500,000 for projects lasting up to three years; and grants of between £10,000 and £150,000 to charities with an annual income of above £500,000 for projects lasting up to three years.

The next closing date for the small grants programme is 4pm on the 31st May 2019 and 5pm on the 15th April 2019 to the large grants programme (Stage 1 applications).

Further information can be found on the MCF Later Life website

Masonic Charitable Foundation – Early Years Opportunities grants programme

Charities in England and Wales can apply for Early Years Opportunities Grants through the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The Early Years Opportunities programme is open to charities that help disadvantaged children and young people (up to the age of 25 years) overcome the barriers they face to achieve the best possible start in life.

Grants can be offered to charities that provide:

• Mental and physical health support
• Learning and development, including language and communication skills, social and emotional etc.
• Parental support, including whole family approach
• Pastoral and advocacy support

The type of activities that could be funded includes:

• Additional educational opportunities such as improving literacy and numeracy
• Individual interventions, i.e. parent education, home visiting or mentoring
• Encouraging healthy behaviours with regards to diet, activity and wellbeing
• Psychological interventions for domestic abuse and behavioural issues etc.
• Provision of vital adaptive technologies and equipment removing barriers

Alternative methods or specialist therapies to help children and young people integrate into the mainstream education system.

The programme offers both small grants of up to £15,000 to charities with an annual income of up to £500,000 for projects lasting up to three years; and grants of between £10,000 and £150,000 to charities with an annual income of above £500,000 for projects lasting up to three years.

The next closing date for the small grants programme is 4pm on the 31st May 2019 and 5pm on the 15th April 2019 to the large grants programme (Stage 1 applications).

Further information can be found on the MCF Early Years website

Funding for projects that support disadvantaged young people

Grants of over £10,000 per project are available through the BBC Children in Need Main Grants programme to not for profit organisations and schools that work with young people who are experiencing disadvantage through illness, distress, abuse or neglect; any kind of disability; behavioural or psychological difficulties; and / or living in poverty or situations of deprivation.

Applications should demonstrate how your project will change the lives of children for the better.

Grants of over £10,000 are available with no upper limit stated, however BBC Children in Need make very few grants over £120,000.

Organisations eligible to apply will be not for profit i.e. schools; registered charities; voluntary organisations; churches; and community groups, etc.   In the case of schools this must not be for work that they have a duty to fund.

Examples of projects funded include:

• Castle Wood School, Coventry: £89,779 to provide a fortnightly Saturday Club for disabled children and young people. A diverse range of activities will help develop life skills, provide social opportunities and improve confidence and self-esteem through making new friends.
• Rowan Gate Primary School, Northamptonshire: £24,715 to provide weekly film making sessions for disabled children. The project will develop communication and media skills and increase independence.
• St Joseph’s School and Community Steering Group, Allerdale: £61,480 for a project that will provide an after school and holiday clubs to engage disadvantaged young people living in Workington in physical and healthy living activity.

The Fund is open to applications all year round, but there are a number of deadline and award dates throughout the year. The next deadline is 11:59pm on the 19th May 2019.

Further information can be found on the BBC Children in Need website

Grants available in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history.

The Finnis Scott Foundation makes grants for any charitable purpose, but their present policy is to focus grant-making in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history.

Grants of between £500 and £10,000 are available. Exceptionally, larger grants may be considered at the Trustees’ discretion. Preference is given to making grants to smaller charities where the grant would have a significant impact. The Foundation funds both capital and revenue projects.

Previous organisations supported include:

• Flower Pod – a horticulturally based Social Enterprise in Southwell, Nottinghamshire.
• Rhyl Primary School PTA
• The Horticultural Therapy Trust
• Hestercombe Gardens Trust

The Trustees meet on a quarterly basis; the next meeting is on the 3rd July 2019. Apply by the 7th July 2019 for this meeting.

Further information can be found on the Finnis Scott Foundation website

Lloyds Banking Group Social Entrepreneurs Programme

Lloyds Banking Group is inviting applications to its Social Entrepreneurs Programme – a package of support to social enterprises that includes a learning programme, business mentoring and a grant. The programme is aimed at both start up social enterprises and existing social enterprises that want to trade up or scale up. The programme has three levels of support:

Start Up is aimed at people in need or improving the environment who are in the early stages of setting up a social enterprise, charity or impact project and need some support to get things up-and-running.  The programme could provide:

• A free learning programme (14 learning days, spread over a year)
• A grant of £1,000 (money you don’t pay back)
• A support network
• Mentoring

Trade Up is aimed at social enterprises that have been running for at least a year and making at least £15,000 a year (total income, including trading, grant and donations). The programme could provide:

• Free learning programme (14 learning days spread over a year)
• Match Trading grant of up to £4,000
• Support network
• Mentoring

Scale Up is aimed at social enterprises ready to significantly scale up e.g. through social franchising, increasing geographical reach, or making a step change in impact by developing new markets or partnerships. The social enterprise, charity or impact project will have been running for at least two years and will be making at least £75,000 a year (total income, including trading, grant and donations). The programme could provide:

• Free learning programme (14 days spread over a year)
• Match Trading grant of up to £7,000
• Support network
• Mentoring

Applications are welcome from people from all backgrounds, including long-term unemployed, ex-offenders, and people with disabilities. The deadline for applications to the programme is Wednesday 27th March 2019, at 12pm.

Further information can be found on the school for social entrepreneurs website

Funding to tackle the root causes of social inequity

The Charity supports a wide range of charitable projects with an emphasis on social reform and tackling the root causes of social inequity. The charity favours causes that are outside the mainstream, and unlikely to be funded by other charities. Typically, grants are between £1,000 and £5,000.

The charity runs three funding programmes:

• Yorkshire. Trustees give priority to applicants working in the Yorkshire region. Your organisation need not be based in the region but the project itself must directly benefit the Yorkshire community. We fund national charitable organisations ONLY if the project is specifically working in the Yorkshire region, with clear evidence of local control and access to the grant.
• Southern Africa, particularly Zimbabwe.
• Projects that have applied to the Andrew Wainwright Reform Trust because they meet the AWRT’s broad objectives to work for a just and democratic society and to redress political and social injustices, but have not been able to proceed with an application to that Trust because they are eligible for charitable funding.

Previous organisations supported include:

• The Boaz Trust a Christian organisation serving destitute asylum seekers in Greater Manchester which received a grant of £2,000.
• The Grandparents Association in Leeds which received a grant of £4,800.

Organisations applying do not have to be a charity, but its work must satisfy the Charity Commission’s definition of charitable purposes and public benefit.

The next closing date for grant application to the Scurrah Wainright Charity is the 14th May 2019.

Further information can be found on the Scurrah Wainwright Trust website

Grants to support the performing arts and the conservation of historic objects

The Leche Trust has announced that the next closing date for applications is the 26th April 2019. The Leche Trust is a grant making charity that provides funding of up to £5,000 to UK registered charities, public authorities or institutions in the areas of the Performing Arts and Conservation.

Through the Performing Arts funding strand, the Trust supports projects that promote excellence in professional performance in music, dance and theatre, with particular emphasis on new work and on the development of young professionals aged 18 or over. Trustees are sympathetic to projects that widen geographical access to the performing arts, for example through festivals and touring.

Through the Conservation funding stream, the Trust will support projects to conserve historic objects, collections and features of buildings and landscapes which date from the Georgian period or earlier, i.e. pre-1830s. Projects may include acquisition costs (for objects) and conservation surveys as well as remedial work.

Trustees are inclined to give grants to smaller projects, or specific elements of projects, where their contribution can make a greater impact. In the case of churches, Trustees will consider supporting the conservation of such features as monuments, wall paintings, stained glass, and historic furniture and fittings.

Further information can be found on the Leche Trust website

Hilden Charitable Fund

The Hilden Charitable Fund awards grants of an average of £5,000 to causes working at community level in the UK and developing countries which are less likely to be able to raise funds from public subscriptions.

Current UK funding priorities are: Homelessness, Penal Affairs, Asylum Seekers and Refugees, and Community Based initiatives for Disadvantaged Young People Aged 16 to 25 (to fund programmes that are helping these young people in the job market, with advice, training, volunteering and work placement schemes).

Only applications submitted on the form supplied on the website will be considered. Hilden accepts applications at any time but the closing date for the summer meeting is Wednesday, May 15th 2019.

Further information can be found on the Hilden Charitable Fund website

Women Make Music grants programme

Women songwriters and composers of all genres and backgrounds have until the 10th June 2019 to apply for the next round of the Women Make Music programme.

The programme supports the development of outstanding women songwriters and composers at different stages of their career. It aims to:

• Break down assumptions and stereotypes
• Raise awareness of the gender gap
• Increase the profile of women who are creating new music in the UK
• Encourage women who may otherwise not have applied for PRS for Music Foundation funding.

Grants of up to £5,000 are available to support touring, recording, promotion and marketing, community projects involving high-quality music creators, music creator residencies and live performances featuring new UK music.

Further information can be found on the Women Make Music PRS Foundation website

Grants available for natural history projects

The John Spedan Lewis Foundation (JSLF) provides finance for charitable purposes reflecting the interests of John Spedan Lewis- notably entomology, ornithology, horticulture and associated environmental and conservation projects.

JSLF Trustees meet bi-annually to consider funding appeals and generally awards grants to small and medium sized projects. In 2018, 13 donations totalling £74,885 were made to 13 charities.

UK registered charities for which natural history topics are explicitly stated among their charitable purposes, including wildlife conservation, entomology; ornithology and horticulture are eligible to apply.

The Foundation also sponsors a doctoral studentship every three to four years. Grants previously awarded include:

• British Dragonfly Society – £5,000
• Dartmoor Presentation Association – £1,648
• Skye Environmental Centre Ltd – £4,000

The next closing date is the 3rd May 2019

Further information can be found on the John Spedan Lewis Foundation website

Funding to mark the International Year of the Periodic Table

The Royal Society for Chemistry is making grants of up to £1,000 available to its Network Members to run a project for the International Year of the Periodic Table in 2019.  To be eligible, applicants should demonstrate:

• that the project supports the celebration of the International Year of Periodic Table
• that the project has a significant aspect which is related to the chemical sciences
• that the project has a clearly identified target audience
• that the intended impact on the audience has been defined
• that projects are planned to take place during 2019, the International Year of the Periodic Table

Funding is open all year round and will be considered at three checkpoints in the year with deadlines of Monday, 15 April 2019; Monday, 15 July 2019 and Monday, 14 October 2019. There are limited funds available and applications will be considered at each of these check points until all funds have been allocated.

Further information can be found on the Royal Society of Chemistry website

Grants programme to fund Biochemical Outreach Projects

The Biochemical Society has announced that its Outreach Grants programme has re-opened for applications. Grants of up to £1,000 are available to increase participation in the molecular biosciences at school level and the community through engagement activities. Within school projects the Society is looking to support projects with emphasis on molecular bioscience for upper secondary school age audiences and above. For primary school age audiences, the focus can be on biology or on all sciences.

The type of events funded could include:

• Activities for a science club
• Workshops for students or teachers
• Lectures from research scientists (including PhD students and post-doc).

Projects more likely to receive funding will involve collaborations between, several schools/universities or a mix of organizations; establish links/relationships between schools and universities or industry; promote molecular bioscience career opportunities; or be submitted by an applicant with previous experience in outreach activities (although first time applicants are also welcomed).

Past projects include “Detective Sciences” – an event that formed part of the Science week activities at Abercanaid Community School, Merthyr Tydfil. The focus of the event was centred on promoting scientific investigation, scientific thinking and enhancing English language skills.

The closing date for applications is the 9th April 2019.

Further information can be found on the Biochemical Society website

Kellogg’s breakfast club grants programme

The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Grants Programme offers grants of up to £1,000 to schools in the UK to set up Breakfast clubs for those children in most need.

To qualify for the programme:

• The breakfast club must be based in a school in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland;
• A limited number of grants are available so priority will be given to schools that have either:

35% and above of children eligible for pupil premium funding and / or eligible for free school meals or  schools that are based in an area which is classified as falling in the 10% of most deprived areas according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

• Additionally, if your school has received breakfast club funding from Gregg’s or Magic Breakfast within the current academic year, your club will not be considered a priority for support.
• Only one grant per school in each academic year is available.

There are no closing dates and applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis. For any queries please contact Forever Manchester on 0044 161 214 0940 or e-mail kelloggs@forevermanchester.com

Further information can be found on the Forever Manchester website

Greggs Foundation breakfast club grants

The Greggs Foundation currently supports 380 breakfast clubs throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Schools that are interested in applying for funding to open a breakfast club at their school must be able to show that at least 40% of  pupils qualify for free school meals and that the school serves a disadvantaged community. School should able to attract adult volunteers to help run the scheme and attendance at the club must be free for all pupils.

The Foundation uses the grants to support breakfast clubs through an initial startup grant for equipment such as chest freezers to store food items or toys and activities for the club. Greggs Foundation also makes a payment each term towards other food items and Greggs plc donates bread from the nearest shop.

Recently set up breakfast clubs include:

• “Clubs” at Hillside Community Primary School, in Skelmersdale which received funding of £600 for its breakfast club which around 45 young people attend each day.
• Swalwell Primary School, in Gateshead where nearly 50% of school children are entitled to free meals received a grant of £1,100.

Although applications can be made at any time, there is currently a waiting list for funding.

Further information can be found on the Greggs Foundation website

Grants available for youth projects that celebrate wildflowers and fungi

Young People aged 14 – 25 have the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £500 for projects that celebrates UK native wildflowers and fungi in exciting and engaging ways.  To be eligible for funding young people need to find a supporting organisation such as a school (excluding primary schools), university, youth club or a local community group.

To apply young people will need to follow the following steps:

• Step 1: Come up with your great project idea!
• Step 2: Find a Supporting Organisation to help you deliver the project
• Step 3: Make a short video application on your phone and upload it securely
• Step 4: Complete our online form, including a link to your video

To celebrate UK’s native wildflowers and fungi; projects could use the mediums of:

• Arts
• Design
• Film
• Theatre
• Dance
• Data

The list is not exhaustive.

The funding is being made available through Grow Wild and the closing date for applications is midday on the 1st April 2019.

Further information can be found on the Grow Wild website

Innovate UK smart grants

Innovate UK Smart Grants are available for game-changing and disruptive ideas from business, through a regular, competitive application process. This round is open until 24th April 2019.

Grants are awarded for projects that can provide evidence for considerable potential to gain market share, generate economic impact and exports. The funding is not limited to a particular industry or technology area.

UK based business of any size or a research and technology organisation (RTO) carrying out a project in the UK and intending to exploit the results from the UK can apply with:

• An idea for a completely new product, service or process
• A brand-new use or an unprecedented use for an existing product, service or process that take it above and beyond what is currently available

Different amounts of grant funding are available depending on the size of the business applying for funding and the stage of their project. Projects can be:

• Early feasibility studies to analyse and evaluate the potential of an idea, including market research
• Industrial research, with the intention that the skills and knowledge acquired will lead to an improvement in existing products, processes or services
• Experimental development, actually developing these new products, processes or services through activities including prototype testing, piloting and demonstration

Further information can be found on the GOV.UK website

Funding to celebrate Armed Forces Day – Saturday, 29 June 2019

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is offering funding for community celebration events and activities taking place on or around Saturday 29th June 2019 – Armed Forces Day 2019. Grants of up to £10,000 to cover up to 50% of the costs involved in running and event may be awarded.

Local councils, community organisations, schools, ex-service organisations and individuals in the UK are eligible to apply for events that:

• Are held on or within the weeks around Saturday 29th June 2019
• Have ‘Armed Forces’ in the event title
• Are relevant to today’s serving Armed Forces
• Have free access to members of the ‘Armed Forces Family’ – Serving personnel, Veterans, Cadets and their Families (though charges may be made for parking, programs etc.)
• Are not centered around Fundraising or Recruitment

The Armed Forces Day website provides ideas, inspiration and resources including posters and decoration ideas; there is a dedicated resource page for schools that includes assembly kits.

The deadline for submitting applications is Monday 30th April 2019. For details on how to apply event organisers should in the first instance register their event on the Armed Forces Day website.

Events already being planned can be viewed here and include:

• Mansfield — 30th June 2019: ‘Thanks & Fun’ a fun day with a party atmosphere in Tribute to the Armed Forces.
• Lauder — 29th June 2019: Armed Forces in Lauder including a Small Vehicle Display and maybe a Parade.

Further information can be found on the Armed Forces Day website

This document is produced by Corporate Policy, Research and Partnerships, Blackburn with Darwen Council. 

Tel: 01254 585825