Funding

BIG Lottery Fund

• Awards for All £300 - £10,000

  Basic Criteria

  • Explain the need for your project and the changes that will happen
  • Must be a voluntary or community organisation, school, parish, town council or health authority
  • Must have a bank/building society/local authority account with two or more signatories

  Application process

  • Applications need to be in at least three months before your Big Lunch

  For more info

  • http://www.awardsforall.org.uk/ or call 0845 4 10 20 30
• Community and Families Fund (Scotland)
  Basic Criteria
  
  

  • Awards between £250 and £10,000.
  • The fund will support local projects that help families and communities give children the best start in life.
  • Focus on funding projects that benefit children, or parents and families of children, who are 8 years and under.
  • Types of projects considered- parenting support and development projects, community play projects, community-based family support and childcare projects, projects that support better nutrition for young children.
    

  Application process
  
  

  • There are no deadlines and applications can be submitted at any time

  For more info
  
  

  • http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_communities_and_families_fund or call 0300 123 7110
• Investing in Ideas Fund (Scotland)
  Basic Criteria
  
  

  • Grants of £500 to £10,000
  • Funding groups and organisations of all sizes (charities, voluntary groups, community councils, social enterprises) to improve their skills and knowledge and develop new ideas or improved ways of working that will bring real improvements to communities.
    
  • Projects must achieve one of the following outcomes: 1. People have better chances in life 2. Communities are safer, stronger and more able to work together to tackle inequalities 3. People have better and more sustainable services and environments 4. People and communities are healthier.

  Application process
  
  

  • There are no deadlines and applications can be submitted at any time

  For more info
  
  

  • http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/investinginideas or call 0300 123 7110

Spacehive crowdfunding resource

• Spacehive
  Got a great project idea? Spacehive is a crowdfunding resource that helps communities transform their local spaces, from publishing your initial vision online and attracting support from the community, to getting the key elements in place to start fundraising.
  
  

  If you need a little cash to get your Big Lunch going, creating a page on spacehive to promote your ideas could be an easy way to spread the word about your plans as well as collecting funds and gaining extra support online.

  For more info
  http://spacehive.com/
  

Other national funds

• The Co-operative Community Fund £100 - £2000

  Basic Criteria

  • Must carry out positive work in the community
  • Address a community issue
  • Provide good long term benefit to the community
  • Support co-operative values and principles and be innovative
  • Must be a community, voluntary or self-help group

  Application Process

  • May take 4 months so apply early

  For more info

  • http://www.co-operative.coop/membership/local-communities/community-fund/
  • 0161 827 5879
• O2's Think Big

  Basic Criteria

  • For young people aged 13-25
  • Two different funding levels
  • Project must positively impact or tackle a problem within your community
    

  For more info

  • http://www.o2thinkbig.co.uk/ 

Local Funds

• Community First grant programme

  The Community Development Foundation is running a grant programme across England called Community First. Through a panel of local people, grants of £250-£2,500 are given to community projects across England. Through a Neighbourhood Matched Fund, every £1 provided in funding must be matched by a similar amount of in-kind donations. This means donations of cash, services, free products or volunteer time. It is a great way of giving your time to help your local group knowing that it will be matched with vital funds.

  To apply for a Neighbourhood Matched Fund grant:-

  Enter your postcode into the Community First Postcode Search to see ifyour areais eligible for Community First funding, and if so find the website for your local panel.Alternatively visit the full list of Community First panels in England.

  Check the local panel website to find details of how to apply for funds in your area, or use the panel email address to contact the panel for further information.

  Apply directly to the panel for a grant.

  
  

• Community Foundation Network
  Community Foundation Network manage a range of locally provided grants and funds.  Contact your local Community Foundation to see if there are any which are relevant to your area, to your Big Lunch and which fit with your timings.
   

  http://www.communityfoundations.org.uk/

   

• Quartet Community Foundation

  Quartet Community Foundation (covering Bristol, Bath, North, NE Somerset and South Gloucestershire) – up to £2,000

  Basic Criteria

  • For small, community-based charities and voluntary groups in the West of England whose work benefits disadvantaged or isolated local people.
  • Sometimes they focus on funding specific types of activities - check the website for more details

   

  Application process

  • 6 weeks - it's a rolling programme, open throughout the year
    

  
  For more info

  • http://www.quartetcf.org.uk/showcontent.asp?CollectionID=@0000000184&ParentID=@0000000107
• Comic Relief's Local Communities

  Basic Criteria

  • Grants are awarded to support work where there is clear evidence of a sustained beneficial impact on the lives of people who are excluded or disadvantaged.
  • Priority is given to small, locally-based groups or organisations that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community and are undertaking actions to address these needs.

  Application process

  • Contact your local community foundation or funder for local deadlines and application proceedures.
  • There will be periods when the grant round temporarily closes so check early.
  
  

  For more info

  • http://www.communityfoundations.org.uk/community_foundations/looking_for_funding/comic_relief/

   

• Supporting communities Northern Ireland

  Supporting Communities Northern Ireland provide community funding information on their website to support meaningful community participation.
  
  For more info
  http://www.supportingcommunitiesni.org/Funding_link.aspx

  
  
  

• People and Communities Fund Scotland
  Basic Criteria

  • Aimed at registered social landlords and other community anchor organisations such as community development trusts.
  • Supports these community organisations to grow and strengthen by delivering outcomes to meet and respond to the aspirations of their communities.

  Application Process

  • Aims to provide a decision within 10 weeks of receipt of a complete application.

  For more info

  • http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/community/pcf
    

Business and Employer Schemes

• Employers and Local businesses
  Get your neighbours to ask if their employers have community funds or consider match funding community activities. You could also approach local businesses and ask them to sponsor particular elements of your party, like the hire of a bouncy castle, or to provide food, drink or prizes for a raffle.  Try and make your ask relevant to the service or business they provide   
• The ASDA Foundation

  Basic Criteria

  • Must have the approval of your local ASDA store colleagues
  • Must be a charity or community group, not an individual
  • Must benefit the local community

  For more info

  • Contact your local store direct
  • http://charities.asda.com/asda-foundation
• First Group

  Basic Criteria

  • All requests for funding or gifts in kind must fit within one of their charitable criteria: Young people, Health, The Environment.
  • Applications need to be supported by a letter from a FirstGroup employee

  For more info

  • http://www.firstgroup.com/corporate/community/charity_and_sponsorship.php
• The Ford Britain Trust

  Basic Criteria

  • Applications accepted from: Ford employees, registered charities, non-fee paying schools or PTA's and non profit organisations
  • Support projects that provide clear benefits to the local community/environment and young people close to Ford UK locations (Essex, Bridgend, Southampton and Daventry)

  Application process

  • Small grants (up to £250) four times each year
  • Large Grants (usually between £250- 3,000) are concidered twice a year
    Check the website for approaching deadlines
    
    

  For more info

  http://www.ford.co.uk/AboutFord/CorporateSocialResponsibility/FordBritainTrust/HowToApply

Housing Associations

• Housing Associations

  Housing Associations work hard to encourage strong sustainable neighbourhoods, some offer community funds or may be able to support your Big Lunch in other ways.  There are too many to list but if you are part of a housing association, try contacting your resident, tenant or community involvement officer as a first step.

Local Authority Community based grants

• Local Authorities

  Times are tough and councils are always being asked to do more with less, but it is worth approaching your local council as some have community and neighbourhood funds or schemes which you might be able to apply to.  Try searching for community fund or grant, neighbour or community relations on their website. Even if they don’t have any funds available they may be able to help in other ways or direct you to other local organisations for help and support.