Community Grants Give Away!
David Quarmby
£50,000 giveaway start to New Year
Jan 4 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner
THE start of the New Year marks the chance for community groups to grab a cash bonanza from a £50,000 pot.
Last year the Examiner had £30,000 to give away and groups were quick to respond with more than 40 groups sharing the bumper windfall at a ceremony last April.
Now we have managed to secure £20,000 more, bringing the total up to a whopping £50,000.
Applying for it is easy and Examiner editor Roy Wright said: “It’s not often groups can apply for money so easily so I would urge every community-based group or organisation that needs some funding to act now.
“The economic climate remains exceptionally harsh at the moment which makes this giveaway extra special.”
The massive cash injection has been provided by the Community Foundation For Calderdale – but the money will go to groups in Kirklees.
The cash must distributed by the end of March and the deadline for entries is February 27.
It is only open to groups with an annual income of £30,000 or less – but that’s £10,000 more than last year.
They must have been going for 12 months or more and are mostly run by volunteers.
This is because the cash comes from a pot of Government money called Grassroots Grants which is managed by the Community Development Foundation and funded by the Office of the Third Sector.
The money is part of a nationwide drive by the Government to support thousands of groups and projects across the country that work hard to improve their local communities.
Groups can apply for up to £900 and then a panel of judges will sift through the entries and allocate the money to the groups which score in accordance with the Grassroots Grants criteria.
Any small group or community organisation can apply for a share.
It could include clubs dedicated to helping the elderly, groups that clean-up the environment, good causes involved in the arts or schemes that improve children’s health and well-being.
Applying is easy and can be done online via the Examiner website at www.examiner.co.uk/communitycash and an application form will also be printed in next week’s Examiner Weekly News.
Alternatively, forms can be picked up from the Examiner’s customer reception office on Queen Street South.
Huddersfield MP Barry Sherman hosted the money-giving last year.
He said: “The community only comes to life by people actually going out there and doing things.
“All these people from the young to the elderly are doing things for the good of this community – from drama groups to bands and choral groups. It’s fantastic and we need a lot more of them.”
Steve Duncan, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation for Calderdale, said: “2009 will certainly go down as a year of uncertainty and trepidation in all parts of the economy in Kirklees, including the Third Sector which includes voluntary and community organisations.
“The economic downturn has particularly hit West Yorkshire hard and placed the income of many Kirklees charities under pressure at a time when demand for their services has been growing.
“Advice services on debt and unemployment are just two examples.
“But there are encouraging signs that the Third Sector is up to the challenge.
“It has a talent for coping in adversity, operating with limited resources and coming up with innovative ideas and the Cash Giveaway – a partnership event with the Huddersfield Examiner – is a superb way of targeting small Grassroots Grants to where they are most needed.
“So let’s keep our fingers crossed for a better year in 2010 and celebrate the inspiring and outstanding work by small grassroots organisations in Kirklees.
“The Office of the Third Sector’s Grassroots Grants are particularly designed to support organisations with an average annual income of £30,000 or less so please can I encourage your group to apply if you are eligible.’’
Shaukat Hafez, chairman of Kirklees Grassroots Grants Panel, said: “I feel this a great opportunity for small voluntary groups to obtain Government funding which will help them keep their valuable activities going.
“We know it’s hard times for many community and voluntary groups to organise activities for their members due to the recession so this funding will no doubt help them overcome some of the shortfalls they may be facing.
“I would urge local groups to put an application into the Examiner Cash Giveaway.
“I am confident it will make a lot of difference to members of these groups.’’
Terms and conditions:
Normal Trinity Mirror NW2 competition rules apply. See www.examiner.co.uk/rules for a full list of terms and conditions. Applications are welcome from independent, locally constituted community/voluntary/charity organisations within Kirklees, West Yorkshire, that operate their own bank account (or will do so by 1 March 2010) with an average annual income from all sources for whatever purpose over their last three financial years of £30,000 or less, that have been running for 12 months or more and who are mostly run by volunteers. Community Interest Companies are specifically not eligible for Grassroots Grants Kirklees and should not apply. Grassroots Grants is a three year funding programme that operates nationally from which no group may receive more than £5,000 in total across the whole programme – groups that have previously had a Grassroots Grants award are advised to contact Community Foundation for Calderdale if in doubt. For full eligibility guidelines visit www.cffc.co.uk. Groups can apply for a maximum of £900. All paper applications need to arrive at The Huddersfield Daily Examiner’s office, Queen Street South, Huddersfield HD1 3DU no later than 27th February 2010. All online entries need to be completed by 27th February 2010. A grants assessment panel in Kirklees will judge applications. Winning entries will be the ones, which, in the opinions of the judges are most deserving. No correspondence will be entered into; the Editor’s decision is final. All prizes will be provided through the Community Foundation for Calderdale and Grassroots Grants Kirklees, managed by the Community Development Foundation, funded by the Office of the Third Sector, and supported by Voluntary Action Kirklees. Prizes are not transferable and are non-refundable and subject to availability or change. The promoter is Trinity Mirror Huddersfield. Winners must agree to publicity reasonably requested by Trinity Mirror Huddersfield and Grassroots Grants Kirklees. No purchase necessary.
David Quarmby
qua...@ntlworld.com
07736 087019
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