Warwickshire News Mine

Small-scale community led projects are being invited by Warwickshire County Council’s North Warwickshire Area Committee to bid for individual grants of up to £4,500 from the fund – but the deadline for applications is Monday 7 June.

The money has been made available by County Councillors for one-off projects that address issues of local concern. Organisations must make their bids with the support of their local County Councillor.

Councillor Tilly May, Chair of the North Warwickshire Area Committee, said: "Community groups in North Warwickshire have the opportunity to bid for significant funding to help them get new schemes off the ground, or to pay for items that will benefit local people already using their services.

“I urge them to take advantage of this and to work with their local councillor to put a bid together for a share of the fund. Other groups have already benefited immensely from this."

Last year 13 local groups received funding including:  Boxing Clever Academy, Merevale Media Services & North Warwickshire Cricket Club were just some of the lucky organisations to benefit from the fund (see editors’ notes for more information).

The fund is run by Warwickshire County Council to help communities, particularly in more deprived parts of the county, address issues of local concern to them.
Once the bids are in, County Councillors in North Warwickshire will pick the successful applications at their Area Committee meeting on 21 July 2010.

The County Council is also launching its Small Grants Scheme on 2 June. This is aimed at small and emerging community and voluntary groups in North Warwickshire, who can bid for grants of up to £500 from a total fund of £4,000.
Bids are decided on a first come, first served basis until the funding is depleted and applications are decided throughout the year at North Warwickshire Area Committee meetings.

The small grants can be used for set up costs such as the purchase of stationary and equipment, room hire or printing costs to promote their activities, and the scheme aims to provide the first vital stage of funding to help groups establish or expand.

Application forms for both schemes, which include details of local County Councillors, can be obtained from your local library or the North Warwickshire Area Team:

Alistair Rigby
Localities and Communities Officer
North Warwickshire Area Office (WCC)
C/o North Warwickshire Borough Council
Council House
South Street
Atherstone
CV9 1BD
Tel No. 01827 719409
Email: alistairrigby@warwickshire.gov.uk

To find out more about Warwickshire County Council’s North Warwickshire Area Committee, visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk or email northwarkwickshire@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Link to WCC