GrantRadar

Milton Keynes Community Foundation

Seed Grants

Small grants of up to £750 from MK Community Foundation for charities and voluntary-led groups in Milton Keynes to test early-stage ideas, new ways of working, community voice and grassroots action. It is a rolling programme with a short online form, and decisions usually come in two to three weeks.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Up to £750
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Light
short form, little evidence needed

Who can apply

  • Constituted, not-for-profit organisations supporting beneficiaries in the Milton Keynes unitary authority area: unincorporated associations, registered charities, CIOs, sports clubs, and faith groups where the main activity is community-focused and not the promotion of religion (beneficiaries must not have to take part in religious activities, and no one may be excluded on grounds of faith or belief)
  • Organisations with income over £5,000 must be registered with the Charity Commission or relevant regulator (or be registering)
  • The governing document must include an asset lock; at least three unrelated people must sit at the top level of governance; the bank account must be in the organisation's name with two unrelated signatories
  • Organisations holding more than 12 months' running costs in reserves cannot normally be funded, and those with over six months' free reserves must explain why
  • Individuals, for-profit companies, political groups and statutory bodies cannot apply, and all monitoring from previous MKCF grants must be returned first
  • Projects must start within six months of the award; apply well before the start date (MKCF recommends at least three months)

What it funds

Early-stage ideas that test new ways of working, promote community voice and strengthen grassroots action, especially those that:

  • Respond to issues raised in the annual Vital Signs MK report (stronger communities, disadvantage and poverty, local economy, diversity, transport, health and wellbeing, work, crime and safety, education, housing, environment, arts and heritage)
  • Address local needs
  • Work in partnership
  • Aim to strengthen the voluntary sector

What it will not fund

  • Core/running costs, except where these are essential to project delivery
  • Statutory activities, or purchase of equipment that will become the property of a statutory body
  • Animal welfare projects
  • Retrospective costs (anything that has already been bought or committed to); rare exceptions may be made where deposits are required, agreed in advance with the Philanthropy Team
  • Medical research or treatment
  • Deficit funding or repayment of loans
  • Unspecified expenditure
  • Contingencies and miscellaneous expenses
  • Events or activities where the primary purpose is to fundraise
  • Redistributing funds to other charitable organisations (except for specific partnership arrangements)
  • Food and drink (unless vital to the project)
  • Travel and accommodation (unless vital to the project)

How to apply

  1. Read the Seed Grants guidelines and the MKCF grants policy
  2. Register on the MKCF grants portal and complete the online Seed Grant application at any time
  3. Give the amount needed, budget details, project details (up to 500 words), primary impact and Vital Sign area
  4. An internal panel of MKCF staff votes; a majority 'pass' is successful, possibly for part of the amount

submit any outstanding monitoring from earlier grants first.

Have ready

  • Governing document or constitution giving the organisation's name and purpose, with an asset lock and confirmation that it is not for profit
  • Details of at least three unrelated trustees or management committee members (names and addresses for unincorporated groups)
  • Most recent annual accounts or financial records covering at least the past 12 months (a bank statement if under a year old)
  • Bank statement dated within the past 3 months, in the organisation's name, for an account with at least two unrelated signatories
  • Equal opportunities / EDI policy covering the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010
  • Child and adult safeguarding policies naming the local lead person
  • Evidence of registration with the Charity Commission or relevant regulator if income is over £5,000

quotes or other evidence of costs may be requested by the Philanthropy Team.

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