COMIC RELIEF CORE STRENGTH GRANTS

Comic Relief’s Core Strength Grants programme is designed to support the core running costs or organisational development costs for communities that are suffering from economic and social deprivation and where current economic climate may be making this situation worse.

The programme aims to empower local people, enabling them to create lasting change in their communities.

The work and main focus of the applicant organisation must fit one of the Comic Relief priorities, which are:

o Connected communities - seeking to improve inclusion and cohesion in communities;
o Productive communities - investing in local residents to help them solve the issues they are facing using local people and resources;  and
o Empowered communities - working to empower marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

Priority will be given to:

o Those that are new to Comic Relief and/or Community Foundation funding;
o Those in areas of high deprivation;
o Those in geographically underfunded areas;
o Those with lived experience, where people directly affected by the issues are involved in all levels of the organisation;
o Those with innovative approaches, to respond to clearly defined need; and
o Those demonstrating effective practice, with evidence that the methodology being used will be successful.

Constituted voluntary and community groups, registered charities, social enterprises, co-operatives and Community Interest Companies (CICs) can apply for a grant of between £1,000 and £5,000.

To be eligible, applicants must:

o Have an annual income of £100,000 or under for the last full financial year;
o Have been running activities for at least 12 months;
o Be working in a disadvantaged or deprived area;
o Have limited access to other sources of income;
o Clearly define the need they are addressing;
o Clearly demonstrate the benefit of their activities to local people;
o Illustrate how they aim to deliver social outcomes;
o Provide clear evidence that the services they provide are inclusive to all.

The following are not eligible for funding:

o Individuals;
o Statutory organisations, including schools;
o National organisations, unless the application is submitted by a local office with a separate management committee, bank account and governing documents;
o Limited Companies possessing Capital Shares;
o Trips abroad;
o Buses, mini buses or other community transport schemes (not including transport costs forming part of a project);
o Building costs, including access adaptations to buildings; or
o Organisations that are in receipt of a grant directly from Comic Relief (excluding the Community Cash programme).

The programme is managed by Community Foundation’s across the UK. Some are open to applications, others are closed.

The status of Community Foundation’s across the South West for this programme is:

o Devon – application deadline: Thursday 28 September;
o Cornwall - application deadline Monday 16 October;
o Dorset - due to open Wednesday 20 September with a closing date of Thursday 26 October;
o Wiltshire and Swindon – application deadline Thursday 2 November;
o Somerset - application deadline: Monday 13 November;
o Gloucestershire – not currently available (as far as we can see!), but contact the Foundation for further information.
o Quartet (Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire) - not currently open. Contact the Foundation for further information.

Application details are available on each of the websites of the Foundation’s that are currently offering Core Strength grants.

For contact details for all the Community Foundations across the UK visit the UK Community Foundation website.  

(Source: GRIN)