GrantRadar

Ashford Borough Council

Capital Grants (Community Grants Fund)

Ashford Borough Council's Capital Grants give up to £10,000 towards capital projects by voluntary and community organisations, parish councils and community-open faith groups serving Ashford borough, such as equipment, furniture, building refurbishment and improving open space. The grant cannot exceed 50% of the project's total cost, and there must be a clear financial need. Applications close three times a year (31 January, 31 May and 30 September) and go to a Community Grants Panel that every applicant must attend.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
£10,000
Deadline
96 days left
31 January
Effort
Heavy
budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

  • Not-for-profit organisations with formal charitable status; unincorporated organisations with a constitution and a formally appointed voluntary management committee; parish or community councils, where the funding provides additionality; and faith-based organisations where the project is open to the wider community with no religious bias or recruitment attached
  • Applicants must meet all of these: operate in Ashford borough and serve its residents; be non-political; have a bank or building society account in the organisation's name with two unrelated signatories; have relevant insurances (e.g. public liability, buildings); have relevant safeguards and policies (risk assessments, health and safety policy, safeguarding policy); have effective management and governance; promote equalities; have support for the project from an Ashford Borough Council ward councillor or the Portfolio Holder; provide services, projects or facilities open to any resident in the borough (or have a clear, non-financial justification for targeting a client group); hold no more than 12 months' expenditure in unrestricted reserves or savings; and have no overdue debts owed to the council
  • Not eligible: individuals, sole traders, profit-distributing organisations, CICs limited by shares, mainstream public services such as health and education (additionality, e.g. parent association activity, may be funded), and political parties
  • Applicants can normally receive only one capital grant in a 3 year period
  • Higher priority goes to projects that meet more funding priorities, have more users, have most of their funding in place, show clear local need, receive no other council funding, and have not had a Community Grants Fund grant in the last three financial years

What it funds

One-off grants for capital projects, for example:

  • Equipment
  • Furniture purchase
  • Building refurbishment
  • Improving open space

Projects must meet at least one funding priority in both section A and section B. Section A: reduces greenhouse gas emissions and/or increases biodiversity; encourages more active and healthier people and communities; delivers improved facilities for the local community; fosters good relations between communities; provides advice/mentoring for vulnerable people. Section B: increases knowledge and skills; reduces loneliness and isolation; improves community engagement; increases understanding of other cultures and faiths; increases personal wellbeing, independence and resilience; demonstrates value for money.

The grant must not exceed 50% of the total project cost.

What it will not fund

  • Projects or services that have already been delivered
  • Work that has already been carried out
  • Projects or services without a clear financial need due to lack of available funds
  • Churches or faith groups' core purposes, e.g. religious instruction and recruitment
  • A second capital grant within a 3 year period, unless there are exceptional circumstances

How to apply

  1. Secure support for your project from your Ashford Borough Council ward councillor or the Portfolio Holder
  2. Register or log in to the council's online portal and complete the Capital Grant form, uploading the documents required; drafts can be saved and returned to
  3. Submit by one of the three deadlines: 31 January, 31 May or 30 September
  4. The Grants and Funding Team checks the application is complete and eligible, and may ask for more information
  5. Eligible applications go to the Community Grants Panel (meets March, July and November); all applicants are required to attend the panel to discuss their project
  6. If successful, sign the grant offer accepting the council's standard Terms and Conditions of Funding, then claim the grant within 12 months of the offer with evidence of spend

Decisions of the Community Grants Panel are final and not subject to appeal. Funding is always subject to the council's budget position, so not every eligible application can be funded.

Have ready

  • Detailed information relating to the project and costs
  • Bank statements
  • Annual accounts (copy of last year end)
  • Constitution, trust deed or articles of association (not needed for parish councils)
  • Current insurance certificate and schedules
  • Health and safety policy
  • Risk assessment(s)
  • Safeguarding policy
  • Quotations: at least 2 for projects under £10,000, at least 3 for projects between £10,000 and £25,000

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