Grassroots Grants

Grassroots Grants is a key element of the Government's strategy for building stronger and more active communities. Grassroots Grants aims to invest in a thriving community sector by: "Increasing the small grant funding available to community groups and making it more sustainable".

Criteria

Birmingham Community Foundation are keen to receive applications from voluntary/community organisations that are able to demonstrate that their project will build their capacity and bring benefit to the local community and in doing so meet at least one of the criteria listed below:

> Encourage community responsibility
> Develop community capacity
> Are unable to access other forms of funding
> Does not duplicate other work being done within the area

How much can you apply for?

The maximum grant to each organisation is £5,000 and the minimum is £250
For maximum flexibility organisations can apply for either a one-off amount of £5,000 or multiples between the minimum and maximum over the three year period (2008 - 2011) of the programme.

Who can apply?

> A not-for-profit, third sector voluntary or community group, active in their local community for not less than 12 months.
> Have evidence of income less than £30,000 per annum, taken as an average turnover for the last three financial years (or over the life of the group if it is less than three years old), and net of any grants received through the Grassroots Grants programme
> Be volunteer led (i.e. with largely volunteer based input)
> Be connected with and/or meeting the needs of the local community
> Have a governing document that has as a minimum: the name, aim/purpose, objects, a dissolution clause for the organisation, a list of Trustees/Committee members, and Trustees/Committee member signatures.

Examples of what can be funded are:

> The purchase of equipment, 
> The costs of putting on a local event or workshop
> Staff costs to enable the employment of individuals, contribution to rent costs (related to activities/service delivery)
> The cost of attending a conference or event, training for volunteers
> Additional activities to expand an existing funded project
> Activities that meet an identified need in the local community, funding to support an organisation to achieve a quality or other standard, relevant to their activities.

These are just examples and we expect that Grassroots Grants will be led by the needs of local groups and organisations, and local people.

Birmingham Community Foundation are currently unable to provide funding for:

> Projects operating outside the Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall areas
> Donations towards general appeals or for applications from large national charities
> Individuals, for whatever purpose
> Organisations and individuals in the promotion of political or purely religious ideology - although some Faith group activities can be supported

When Birmingham Community Foundation receive your application they will:

> Send you an acknowledgement of receipt
> Review your application to see if it meets the criteria of any of our administered funds
> Contact you if we require further information 
> Notify you of the outcome of your application within 2-4 weeks of a FULLY completed Application Form.

For further information regarding Grassroots Grants for Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall please go to http://www.bhamfoundation.co.uk/how-to-receive/grassroots.html or contact:

Birmingham Community Foundation,
Nechells Baths, Nechells Park Road, Birmingham, B7 5PD.
Tel: 0121 322 5560 - Fax: 0121 322 5579
email: team@bhamfoundation.co.uk