Community Fund

The Community Fund supports charitable activities that aim to build stronger communities and improve the lives of local people.

About the Community Fund

This fund aims to support community-based activities or projects that meet a local need and seek to improve the lives of local people who are in most need of support.

These activities or projects should be informed by the people or community they seek to serve and have considerable reach and wide community benefit with priority given to work that fulfil one or more of the following criteria:

• take place in areas of multiple deprivation or rural isolation, where people lack access to local services
• help build stronger communities, enabling people to work together and create solutions to local challenges
• help people take steps to manage or avoid debt and build their financial capability. This can include activities that raise awareness and increase the take-up of utility affordability support, such as our help-to-pay schemes.

What can our grants be used for?

You can apply for a grant to help cover core costs and/or project costs. This can be for a new activity or something you are already doing.

We don’t award grants to projects that have already happened, and you should plan to start spending the grant within six months of when it is awarded.

Who can apply?

Applicants must be based and operate within the Wessex Water region. The following types of organisations can apply for a grant:

• voluntary and community groups with charitable aims
• registered charities
• Community Interest Companies (CIC)
• parish councils.

You must also have a board or committee with at least three members and the majority must not be related or living at the same address.

We will prioritise applicants whose annual income has been less than £500,000 for the last three years. This programme is targeted at groups and organisations where a small amount of money can make a significant difference.

We do not normally fund organisations that are holding more than 12 months’ worth of annual expenditure in unrestricted reserves. You also cannot apply if you have received any other funding from us within the last 12 months.

If you are a debt advice agency in receipt of funding from us, when the fund opens, please contact your nearest Community Foundation to discuss your application.

We particularly welcome applications from groups led by minority ethnic communities.

How much can you apply for?

You can apply for a grant of up to £4,000 towards your project or activity, covering a period of up to 12 months.