GrantRadar

East Cambridgeshire District Council

Section 106 funding for community facilities

East Cambridgeshire District Council lets not-for-profit community organisations apply to spend developer (Section 106) contributions on capital projects: community centres and village halls, multi-purpose sports and leisure centres, play facilities and open spaces. Funding is only available where new housing development has, at least in part, created the need for the facility, and the amount depends on the S106 money held for that community. Projects can be funded up to 100% of cost if enough is available, though match funding is encouraged.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Amount not specified
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Community-based organisations in East Cambridgeshire that operate on a not-for-profit basis, such as charities, companies limited by guarantee, industrial or provident societies, community interest companies and parish councils
  • The organisation must have a constitution or set of rules, must have consulted facility users and the local community and be able to evidence need, and must have the written support of the local parish or town council
  • The facility must be open to the public with no membership restrictions in relation to the Equality Act 2010
  • Where the applicant does not own the asset, it needs the landowner's permission; leases must run for at least 25 years, and land kept in private ownership needs a covenant or written agreement protecting public access

What it funds

Capital projects providing new or improved community or social infrastructure, the need for which has arisen at least in part from new development:

  • Community centres or village halls: upgrading the main community centre in a village, such as new builds, extensions, refurbishment, disabled facilities, a new kitchen, re-roofing, or entrance improvements including access ramps and automatic door openers
  • Multi-purpose sports and leisure centres: building, extending or refurbishing a facility or providing disabled facilities, such as a new sprung floor, complete re-surfacing of an astro-turf pitch, or upgrading toilets and changing areas to improve accessibility
  • Play facilities: building new or substantially refurbishing play areas, teenage zones, skateboard facilities and similar, such as new play equipment, a new safety surface or a youth shelter
  • Open spaces: buying or leasing land for formal and informal public open space, recreation and allotments, and improving existing open spaces, such as a new trail and signage that improves accessibility or securing land for a community orchard

What it will not fund

  • Revenue funding towards ongoing running costs
  • Minor repairs, maintenance and redecoration (for example replacing broken roof tiles, painting a meeting room, patch repairs to a pitch or safety surface, fixing a broken shower, repairing a sign or bench)
  • Movable equipment items (for example a new cooker, goal posts or other sports equipment)
  • Planting enhancements, unless part of a whole woodland or orchard development project
  • Facilities with membership restrictions, or without wide public and community benefit
  • Projects where the need has not arisen at least in part from new development

How to apply

  1. Check with the council whether S106 money is held for your community and whether your project qualifies
  2. Get written endorsement for using S106 funding from your local parish or town council
  3. Obtain three written quotations for the works
  4. Apply online through the council's form, or complete the PDF application form and email it with supporting documents to s106grants@eastcambs.gov.uk
  5. An officer assesses the application against the criteria and another officer approves it; you are told the decision by a formal grant offer letter
  6. Grants are paid after the work is complete and the expenditure incurred, on receipted invoices and a self-certification form (in up to four instalments for larger projects)

Have ready

  • Written evidence of the parish or town council's endorsement, such as meeting minutes or an email from the chair or clerk
  • Written evidence of your organisation's status, such as its constitution or charity number
  • Evidence of need, such as a community survey or consultation, parish or neighbourhood plan, or play audit
  • Business plan demonstrating the requirement for the project, where applicable
  • Evidence of the landowner's permission, if you do not own the asset
  • Three written quotations, with your preferred quote highlighted

Planning permission and building regulation references are needed where they apply.

More like this

Other grants open to organisations like yours.