GrantRadar

Fenland District Council

Changing Views Grants

Small grants of up to £500 per project from Fenland District Council for voluntary groups, charities and CICs that improve the look of empty buildings or vacant sites in Fenland's town and village centres, conservation areas and gateway areas, for example through decoration, hoardings, artwork on empty shop fronts or grounds maintenance. It is part of the council's Fenland Renaissance scheme; the application form also offers 50% match funding on projects of £500-£5,000 where volunteers or the landowner part-fund. Grants are paid as reimbursement against paid invoices (or direct to a supplier), not to individuals.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £500
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Voluntary groups, community interest companies and charitable organisations in Fenland (the form asks whether you are a constituted group with a bank account in the group's name, and if not to state your structure)
  • The council cannot pay individuals but can pay a contractor or supplier on the group's behalf
  • The site must be in Fenland in one of the designated areas and you need the landowner's permission and any other necessary approvals

What it funds

Projects that improve the visual appearance of empty buildings or vacant sites and involve the community, such as:

  • Erecting and decorating hoardings on vacant or derelict sites
  • Artwork in empty shop fronts
  • Decoration and grounds maintenance
  • Projects meeting wider Fenland Renaissance objectives are also considered:
  • Dealing with dangerous structures
  • Repairing or improving the fabric of buildings
  • Renewing or refurbishing shop fronts
  • Bringing vacant buildings back into use

Improvements must be readily visible from the street and be in a conservation area, a town or village centre, or a gateway area within the development boundaries of Fenland towns and villages.

The form offers 100% funding up to £500, and/or 50% match funding of project costs of £500-£5,000 where volunteers or the landowner part-fund (two quotations required).

What it will not fund

  • Improvements not readily visible from the street
  • Sites outside conservation areas, town and village centres or gateway areas within development boundaries
  • Payments to individuals (funds can be paid to a contractor or supplier instead)

How to apply

  1. Contact Fenland District Council's Environmental Projects Team (streetpride@fenland.gov.uk, 01354 654321) to discuss the project
  2. Download and complete the Changing Views application form: organisation details, a project description of up to 300 words, approvals, amount requested, other funding, partners and supporting information, and sign it
  3. Return the form by email to streetpride@fenland.gov.uk or by post to the Environmental Projects Team
  4. If approved, buy the materials or commission the works and submit copies of paid invoices for reimbursement (or have your supplier invoice the council)

No deadline is published; applications appear to be accepted at any time.

Have ready

  • Changing Views application form, signed
  • Evidence of landowner permission and any other necessary approvals
  • Two quotations (for match-funded projects of £500-£5,000)

Copies of paid invoices are needed to claim the grant.

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