Each year, the Better Community Business Network provides 12 grants, each of £3,000, for initiatives across the UK that aim to improve the quality of life and expectations of people and their communities, especially those who come from disadvantaged or socially deprived backgrounds.
Although this is not an exclusive list, eligible organisations should be working in one or more of the following areas:
1. Arts and Culture, including sport activities and seeking funding for libraries.
2. Disability, including help lines and social inclusion.
3. Education, including schools and extra-curricular clubs.
4. Elderly, including befriending and social clubs.
5. Environment, including natural disasters and regeneration projects.
6. Ex-offenders, including mentoring and rehabilitation.
7. Health, including cancer research, healthy eating and hospitals.
8. Homelessness and poverty, including Food Banks and shelter, and
9. Social inclusion.
To be eligible to apply, organisations must meet the following criteria:
o Able to demonstrate that money awarded will be used for project-specific costs,.
o Be addressing a community issue or supporting a local community initiative.
o Be UK-based, and
o Providing benefits to the local population.
Funding is not available for:
o Building projects.
o Endowments, loans, deficits, general appeals.
o For-profit initiatives.
o Grant-giving charities.
o Individuals and individual sponsorship.
o Items that the funders do not consider essential.
o Multiple applications: successful applicants may only apply once per year and unsuccessful applicants may apply in the next quarterly term.
o Overseas projects.
o Part-funding of projects.
o Party political activity.
o Professional associations or training of professionals.
o Running costs and expenses, or
o Travel and accommodation.
Further information, guidelines, and an online application form is available on the Better Community Business Network website.
The next deadline for applications is Friday 11th November 2022. Successful applicants are expected to be announced on Wednesday 7th December 2022.
