Bedfordshire community groups and councils invited to apply for grants

Groups and town and parish councils are being invited to apply for a share of round two of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) which will be launched next month.

They will have to meet one or more of the objectives which include investing in capital assets that support local arts, cultural and creative activities; developing green spaces and woodlands for recreational and environmental benefit and community wellbeing; and developing capacity and infrastructure for sports and other equipment, tools for better engagement, or improved facilities.

A sum of £298,000 will be available for applications, which open on Monday, June 10.

Projects will need to show evidence of the spending by the end of this year, with a 20 percent matched funding requirement.

Organisations thinking of collaborating on a joint project are particularly welcome although individual applications for community needs not currently being met will also be considered.

Local Partnership Group chair, Cllr Mary Walsh, said: “The response to our first round of grants was inspiring and I have been delighted to visit many of the completed projects to see for myself the impact of previous funding on local communities.”

She added: “We’re looking forward to working in partnership with many more community groups and I urge anyone interested to look at all the support available and get applying.”

Information is available on the council website with application forms available from 10am on June 10.

This month the council will partner with Community Voluntary Service to provide two meet-the-funder workshops. These are aimed not only at helping community groups understand the grants process but also offering support with the completion of the application forms.

There will be two online sessions, the first on Tuesday, May 28, from 6pm to 7pm and the second on Thursday, May 30, from 11am to 12pm. Email [email protected] to book a session.

> The capital grant scheme is part of the UKSPF and REPF programme, providing a total of £4.6 million of government funding for investment in Central Bedfordshire.