Voluntary and community sector services set for funding boost
Voluntary and community sector services set for funding boost
Voluntary and community organisations in Daventry District will receive an extra £250,000 of cash support to help them fund improvements to land and buildings and for new equipment.
And a further £60,000 will also be made available in revenue grants to voluntary sector service providers after both proposals were approved by Daventry District Council (DDC) on Thursday night (26 July).
At the meeting, councillors agreed to increase the amount of funding in 2018/19 to help meet growing demand for financial assistance from community and voluntary groups.
Capital grants up to a maximum of £15,000 are available for work such as building renovations, equipment or other major purchases valued at least £1,000. In exceptional circumstances, applications for larger amounts will be considered. Revenue grants are awarded to help organisations meet day-to-day costs of running their services.
The Council has already allocated two-thirds of its current £60,000 capital grants budget during the first quarter of the year, with more applications yet to be determined. DDC is also receiving more requests for revenue funding from key voluntary and community organisations seeing their costs and demand for their services rise while their usual funding sources fall.
In addition to these funding pots, £25,000 a year will continue to be available to community groups and organisations wishing to apply for small grants to fund local projects and events.
Councillor Alan Hills, Community, DDC’s Culture and Leisure Portfolio Holder, said: “This increase in funding is in response to the rising number of requests we are getting from local voluntary and community groups who are faced with diminished sources of funding yet seeing their budgets squeezed and running costs rise.
“Funding is available for a range of uses and I would urge groups to get in touch and see whether we may be able to help.”
For more information about Community Grants offered by DDC, including the eligibility criteria for each grant, visit www.daventrydc.gov.uk/communitygrants.
