An advice surgery for anyone interesting in applying for a Community First grant through the participatory budgeting project this Tuesday, 22nd October from 5.30pm – 6.45pm at Brierley Hill library. Feel free to come along and find out more.
Community First is a government sponsored scheme which aims to support voluntary and non-profit groups in disadvantaged areas by offering matched grants.
Brierley Hill ward is one of those areas and eight local residents sit on its panel. The panel’s job is to recommend groups for funding under the scheme. Thirty two projects have received a total of £37,109.50 funding to date – you can read about them by clicking here.
Participatory budgeting
In an experiment to try and involve more people in its decision making and to encourage and support more volunteering in Brierley Hill the panel is running a partipatory budgeting process. We are calling this ‘The Big Brierley Hill Give Away’.
£4,000 has been earmarked for the scheme and groups are invited to bid for grants of between £750 and £1000 for projects focused on improving lives of people who live in Brierley Hill ward and which meets one or more of the priorities set by the panel. You can view these here.
Eligible applicants will be invited to attend a community meeting starting at 7pm on Tuesday 19th November at St Michael’s Church, Bell Street South, Brierley Hill and to say a few words in support of their application. Who gets the money will be decided by a public vote at the meeting.
Who can apply?
Applications are encouraged for any not for profit or voluntary activities. If you have an idea for a project and do not belong to a group you can still apply – one of the aims of Community First is to get more people involved in volunteering – it may be we can help by supporting you to set up a new group, or by pointing you in the direction of another group who can help. If in doubt ask.
How to apply?
Follow four steps:
- Check you are eligible for a grant
- Work out how much to apply for
- Work out how you will match the grant you are applying for (remember volunteering hours count!)
- Apply for the grant
Click here for the step by step guide and download your application form.
How to get help?
- Visit our website www.communityfirst.brierleyhill.org and/or…
- Drop into our advice surgery on Tuesday 22nd October, 5.30-6.45 pm at Brierley Hill library and/or…
- Email community.first@brierleyhill.org and/or…
- Call our helpline on 0771 85 85 421
Timescales
We’re asking for applications to be submitted by 5th November 2013 so we can prepare for the participatory meeting on 19th November 2013.
Please can you help us!
- We are asking for your help in four ways:
- Consider submitting an application yourself
- Tell people you know who might be interested
- Turn up to support local groups and vote on which applications to support on November 19th 2013, at 7pm, at St Michael’s Church, Bell Street South, Brierley Hill