£1 million Aviva Community Fund Set to Launch across UK

The Aviva Community Fund offers funding to voluntary and community organisations for projects that will make a real difference to local communities. To be eligible to apply, groups must be a not-for-profit organisation or group for community good, and have been in existence for at least six months. Projects must make a positive difference to people’s lives in one of the following categories:

   - Health, disability and wellbeing.
   - Supporting the younger generation.
   - Supporting the older generation.
   - Community support.

The Community Fund operates like a competition, and all projects will be put forward to a public vote. Applicants are therefore encouraged to widely promote their projects and gather as much support from their local community as possible. Projects can be entered under four levels of funding:

   - Up to £1,000
   - Up to £5,000
   - Up to £10,000
   - Up to £25,000

Groups must have an average annual income of less than £5 million in the last three years to be eligible (less than £100,000 for the up to £1,000 level of funding). Groups have an increased chance of winning if an insurance broker or financial adviser submits their entry and supports them, as there is an additional set of awards especially for projects submitted by brokers and financial advisers.

The most-voted for projects asking for up to £1,000 will secure their funding immediately, while the projects with the most votes asking for up to £5,000 or more will go through to the Finals and be judged by Aviva's judging panel. In addition to the Awards listed above, 100 Helping Hand Prizes of £500 will be given out to projects submitted by Aviva customers, Aviva Investors clients, Aviva employees or any insurance brokers or financial advisers that are not successful in receiving one of the main Awards.

The public will be able to vote for their favourite projects from 1 May - 30 May 2015. A toolkit will be available on the Aviva website from 24 March onwards offering hints, tips and tricks for publicising projects and gathering support.

The deadline for project submissions is 24 April 2015.

Guidelines:

http://www.aviva.co.uk/community-fund/?source=Z02b&entry=140571&cmp=eml-e_c_ezine-27012015-banner-connect_banner-z02b--&dm_i=1T5M,380AG,CBSZBZ,BL6QP,1