Community groups have just weeks left to apply for grants from a successful County Durham funding programme.
Food banks, sports clubs, schools and charities are being urged to apply for the last batch of grants from believe housing’s community funding programme before the end of the financial year. The funding, tailored to help communities during the coronavirus pandemic, has already distributed more than £150,000 during the year.
Four £1,000 grants remain unallocated from the Coronavirus Crisis Fund programme directed at community groups in most of County Durham, and some surrounding areas. Groups who keep vulnerable people connected and provide help with food at a time when many people are seeing new financial difficulties are among those that could benefit.
Community Investment Team Leader at believe housing, Angela Stobbart, said: “We’ve had hundreds of funding applications this year, and we’ve been able to help the vast majority of groups who we’ve spoken to. But there’s still a last chance for groups to apply for support before the financial year is over.
“Whether you’ve worked with us before or have never thought about funding from believe housing, we’d really like to hear from you if you’ve got a relevant community project that needs support.”
Projects that have already received support include foodbanks, initiatives that help vulnerable people with shopping and schemes that assist families with food when free school meals are not available. Initiatives that look after wellbeing remotely, create virtual social groups or workshops and deliver activities for families are also likely to be awarded funding.
The Coronavirus Crisis Fund follows the same model as believe housing’s hugely successful community grant programme. A simple application process will be maintained to ensure that fast turnaround funding decisions can take place and get work underway.
Groups that have previously received funding from believe housing’s standard community investment scheme are eligible to apply for funding again under the crisis fund alongside groups that have not previously been given support.Full details of the Coronavirus Crisis Fund are available on the believe housing website, or by calling the Community Investment Team on 0300 1311 999.