Grants for rural projects from the Prince’s Countryside Fund

The Prince’s Countryside Fund is seeking applications that support activities that results in a long-term positive impact on rural communities in the UK by helping the people that live and work in the countryside. 

For the September 2017 round, the organisation is looking to support farmers, rural businesses and communities affected by the 2015 flooding or projects that are focused on assisting the recovery and future resilience in these rural areas, particularly Cumbria, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Herefordshire, Northumberland and Scotland.

Their grant programme currently aims to tackle the following key rural issues:

  • To improve the prospects of viability for family farm businesses 
  • To sustain rural communities and drive economic vibrancy 
  • To support aid delivery in emergency and building resilience

Grant size

Applicants can request a maximum of £50,000 (inclusive of VAT) of funding to a maximum period of three years. 

Eligibility criteria

Eligible applicants include:

  • Charities 
  • Community Benefit Society 
  • Community Interest Companies
  • Companies limited by guarantee 
  • Not for profit organisations 
  • Social enterprises 
  • Unincorporated associations

Deadline

Applications must be submitted by 5pm on Thursday 5th October.

How to apply

Applications are made online and organisations need to create an account first. For further details and to access the online application form, please visit The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

Social Innovation Competition delivered by Firstport on behalf of the Scottish Government

Firstport are inviting entries for the 2017 Social Innovation Competition, which celebrates individuals and start-up companies in Scotland with imaginative ideas to solve social issues, with a focus on culture, heritage and tourism.

Prizes

There are three £5000 awards up for grabs (including the young social innovator category for under 30s), combined with tailored support to refine and develop your idea.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants need to be: 

  • Aged 16 or over;
  • Permanently resident in Scotland;
  • Most of the people who will benefit from your idea are resident in Scotland;
  • The activities of your venture do not directly involve political campaigning or the advancement of religion;
  • Your innovation is in the early stages of development – i.e. it is at the ‘idea’ or ‘start-up’ phase (up to 3 years) and has not begun trading on a regular basis.

Deadline

You must submit your application before noon on Monday 9th October 2017.

How to apply

You can apply using the online application form, where you also upload your your two minute video pitch. Your video pitch should cover the following:

  • What is your social innovation? 
  • How will it make the world a better place (social impact)? 
  • Who will benefit from your innovation?
  • Your vision for the future – how are you planning to grow and develop your innovation?

For further details and to attend a drop in session where you can have your questions answered, please visit Firstport.

Inspiring Science Fund scheme for science centres across the UK

The Inspiring Science Fund is a scheme co-funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Wellcome.  It’s a capital fund that helps centres rethink what they do and what they offer to the public.

Size grant

The Trust expects to support projects of different sizes around the UK. The level of funding they provide is flexible, ranging from £150,000 to £3 million. They’ll only be able to support a small number of £3 million projects.

Applicants must be able to provide at least 30% of the total cost of your project in match funding.

Eligibility criteria

The Inspiring Science Fund is open to existing not-for-profit and charitable science centres in the UK. They’re looking for projects that will become examples of best practice in the science centre sector.

To be eligible, applicants should: 

  • have been in existence for at least one year; 
  • attract a minimum of 30,000 public visitors a year; 
  • have a proven and viable business model.

Deadline

19 October 2017.

How to apply

You must submit your application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker (WTGT). The application process has several stages:

  1. Contact Anna Ramsay (a.ramsay@wellcome.ac.uk) before the preliminary deadline to discuss the scope of your proposal and whether you should attend one of their workshops.
  2. Attend a free workshop in London or Glasgow
  3. Submit a preliminary application through the Wellcome Trust Grant Tracker.
  4. Submit your full application.
  5. Peer review.
  6. Interview

For details on how to apply please visit the Wellcome.

Applications open for small grant programme for Inter Faith Week 2017

The Inter Faith Youth Trust (Alma Royalton-Kisch Trust) is seeking applications for its Small Grants Programme under its Inter Faith Week 2017 to promote the education of children and young people about the religions of the world and funds projects that bring together young people of different faiths to improve collaboration and understanding.

Small Grants Programme for events organised by and for young people focused around Inter Faith Week 12-19 November 2017.

Grants are awarded for proposals for inter-faith activities by children and young people from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and other faiths and those of no formal faith in understanding and co-operation. The age range for young people is 11-25 years.

Grant size

The Trust will be awarding small grants up to £500 for organisations running events or projects connected with Inter Faith Week 2017.

Eligibility criteria

Grants are given only to UK based organisations and are given for the agreed purposes set out in the completed grant application form.

Priority will be given to projects which:

  • Actively involve young people in planning, running, and evaluation of the project. 
  • Promote positive action i.e. young people from different backgrounds coming together to address shared problems like improving green spaces. 
  • Are run by non-statutory organisations, such as youth clubs, scout/guide groups, local voluntary and community organisations.

Deadline

15 September 2017

How to apply

For further information and to apply please visit Inter Faith Youth Trust.

Voluntary Sector Development Funding now open

The Voluntary Sector Development Funding (VSDF) scheme is providing a total of around £900,000 for the 2017/18
round which is intended to support voluntary sector organisations in Scotland that provide social services.

The aim of the fund is to provide further investment in the voluntary sector to develop a confident, competent workforce and to meet the demands now required of these staff.

Grant size

Successful organisations can receive up to £25,000 each.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible applicants are:

  • Voluntary organisations that employ staff who require to register with the SSSC.
  • Organisations should confirm they are registered with the Care Inspectorate and provide their Care Inspectorate registration number.
  • Eligible staff for 2017-18 are support workers in care at home and housing support services.
  • Funding can only be used to directly fund and/or support training and development needs to meet SSSC registration requirements.
  • Organisations must demonstrate how the additional funding will help them to meet these requirements through training. Outcomes will be measured on the basis of numbers qualified and the resulting readiness to meet standards.

The priority groups for the 2017/18 round are as follows:

  • Housing Support Services – priority will be given to Support Workers.
  • Care at Home Services – priority will be given toSupport Workers

Deadline

1 September 2017.

How to apply

For further guidance and to apply please visit SSSC.