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Highland Funding Newsletter

2nd April 2009

From Adrian Clark Area Cultural Officer
HIGHLAND FUNDING NEWSLETTER SPRING 2009
(Abridged re Cultural Opportunities)

NEWS FROM THE LOTTERY

BIG LOTTERY FUND (BLF)
The Council has recently agreed its response to BLF's consultation exercise which aims to help shape the organisation's strategic direction for the next six years. Further consultations about future funding programmes are likely to take place in the autumn. Please get in touch if you would like a copy of the Council's response.

PEOPLE'S MILLIONS
In mid-March BLF launched this year's People's Millions programme. This is a UK wide programme where TV viewers vote on short listed projects to decide the winners. Five grants for capital projects of £50k (plus VAT) are up for grabs in the STV North area. In the past, awards have been made to a diverse range of projects from play areas to community halls. In Highland last time around Resolis Community Sports Project received a grant towards the cost of providing a multi-use sports court.

There is usually a very short turn around time for applications for from the date the programme is launched - it is generally about 8 weeks. http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_peoples_millions?fromsearch=-uk

AWARDS FOR ALL
The Awards for All programme has been an excellent source of funding for many Highland projects including schools. There will be some changes, however, in Awards for All from 1st April and up-dated information will be provided in the next newsletter.

LANKELLY CHASE FOUNDATION
New funding guidelines for Lankelly Chase Foundation covering the period from 2009 - 2014 will come into effect in April. Over the next five years the Foundation will concentrate on the following programmes

· The Arts - to promote the use of the arts by people with severe mental illness or to encourage vulnerable young people participate in arts activities
· Breaking cycles of abuse - for projects aimed at preventing domestic abuse or sexual violence or those promoting child protection in community and voluntary sector organisations
· Custody & Community - for projects for women offenders and short term or remand prisoners
· Free & Quiet Minds - projects seeking to restore troubled minds and lives for people in psychiatric hospital and black and ethnic minority groups
· Local People Local Places - projects aimed at strengthening local communities and organisations (under this particular programme priority for capital grants will be given to organisations working in more remote rural areas of the UK)

Each programme has different maximum levels of grants and different funding rules including the type of projects that are excluded. Applications can be made at any time and only registered charities or other charitable organisations such as industrial and provident societies or community interest companies are eligible to apply. More information from: http://www.lankellychase.org.uk/index.htm

The Foundation will still provide grants for targeted summer activities for children between 5 - 17 years. In 2009, however, it will only support activities for young carers and for children and young people living in refuges. Grants of approximately £500 are available and the closing date for applications for summer activities is 8th May. More information is available from the website above.

GET CONNECTED
BT launched its 2009 Community Connections Awards on the 17th March. Community and voluntary organisations which would benefit from internet access and ICT but don't have the money to get connected can apply. If successful they will be provided with a computer, broadband internet access for a year and a community website. More information will be available on this link soon.
http://www.btcommunityconnections.com/page.php?id=1

B&Q ONE PLANET LIVING AWARDS
The closing date for B&Q's annual grants scheme this year is 27th March. This scheme provides free B&Q products to 40 projects in the UK. One project will receive £10k, 4 will receive £5k and 35 will receive £2k towards projects that meet one of the following themes.
· Saving energy
· Nature conservation
· Local culture and heritage
· Grow Your Own
Community-based organisations such as environmental groups, charities, schools, local sports clubs, disability and youth groups are eligible to apply. More information from:- http://www.diy.com/awards

COMMUNITY RADIO FUND
The next funding application round for the Community Radio Fund will open on 15th April and close on 12th May. The Fund provides assistance to community radio stations for core running costs e.g. administration, financial management, fundraising, outreach work etc. The minimum grant is £5k. Applications can only be made by community radio licensees broadcasting under a community radio licence (not an RSL) More information from:-
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radio/ifi/rbl/commun_radio/Communityfund/

SCOTTISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION EXPRESS GRANTS SCHEME
A new application form and guidance notes will be available for SCF's Express Grants Scheme in April. (The Express Grants Scheme replaced the previous Small Grants Scheme in January 2009). The scheme offers grants of up to £2k to voluntary and community organisations. Applications can be made at any time and decisions will be taken within six weeks. In the meantime, applications can be made using the interim form on SCF's home page. http://www.scottishcf.org/

TRUSTHOUSE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
The Trusthouse Charitable Foundation currently has two overarching themes for its funding - rural issues and urban deprivation. A third will be introduced in July 2009 and will focus on mental health issues for prisoners and ex offenders.

In this context "rural" means towns, villages, areas with a population of less than 10,000. The Foundation is interested in a wide range of projects from transport for the elderly or disabled; those which encourage a sense of community such as community centres and village halls; employment training schemes particularly those promoting local traditional crafts; drugs/alcohol misuse; carers networks etc. Three levels of grant are provided:- large (between £10k and £30k), small (between £5k and £10k) and fast track (less than £5k). The Grants Committee meets quarterly to consider applications at the beginning of February, May, July and November. Applications should be submitted at least two months before the date of the Committee. More information from:- www.trusthousecharitablefoundation.org.uk

LLOYDS TSB FOUNDATION FOR SCOTLAND
Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland is one of the largest funders in Scotland distributing over £7 million each year to recognised charities. The Foundation offers a range of grants - from standard to capacity building - and there are four deadline dates each year. Full details are found on: - http://www.ltsbfoundationforscotland.org.uk/index.asp?pg=3

Each year the Foundation runs an extensive programme of application surgeries which provide an opportunity for potential applicants to discuss their project ideas on a one-to-one basis. The dates for the Highland surgeries for the remainder of 2009 are as follows:-
13th May - Fort William
22nd June - Dingwall
11th August - Skye
29th September - Thurso
13th October - Inverness
Please phone 0870 902 1201 to book a surgery place.

Community Cash Awards
The Prince's Trust administers the Royal Bank of Scotland's Community Cash Awards scheme. This can provide up to £5k to help young people (aged between 14 and 25) set up a project to benefit their community e.g a youth club, music studio or a magazine. Young people must manage and run the project and formal groups or organisations are not eligible to apply. Funding of up to £1k is available for 14-16 year olds and up to £5k for 16-25 year olds. More information from: www.princes-trust.org.uk (freephone 0800 842842).

The Prince's Trust also provided Development Awards to help young people get into education, training or employment. Up to £500 can be provided to for example, buy clothes for a job interview or new job or buy equipment, materials or tools

Dewar Arts Awards
The Dewar Arts Awards are for young people (up to the age of 30) living or working in Scotland. The awards are for young people with an exceptional talent in any art form if their financial circumstances make it difficult for them to progress. Musicians, dancers, film makers, actors, jewellery makers and writers have all been helped and applications can be made at any time. More information from: www.dewarawards.org