Second Round Of Funding Available For North Somerset Community Groups
28th November 2023
North Somerset Council is delighted to announce the second round of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Community Grants scheme as part of its ongoing commitments to support community development.
Voluntary, community and social enterprise groups, and town and parish councils in North Somerset will be able to apply for a portion of £183,000 between 11 December 2023 and 12 February 2024.
For more information and to apply, visit: UK Shared Prosperity Fund community grants | North Somerset Council (n-somerset.gov.uk)
The council is also once again partnering with Voluntary Action North Somerset (VANS) to deliver a selection of workshops in early December to help you understand the grants and develop impactful projects.
This UKSPF scheme supports the council’s commitment to invest in the well-being and development of local communities. With a focus on inclusivity, innovation, and sustainability, this scheme provides financial support to projects that address community needs and create lasting impact.
Each application can request between £3,000 and £20,000 to invest in projects that will build local pride and belonging, increase life chances, and build resilient and safe neighbourhoods. Projects must also meet one or more of the following UKSPF intervention objectives:
- support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities
- impactful volunteering and/or social action projects
- capacity building and infrastructure support for local civil society
- community engagement schemes to support community involvement in decision making about local regeneration
- development of feasibility studies and pilot projects
Applications can be for revenue funding only, capital funding only, or a mixture of revenue and capital funding.
Take a look at some of the UKSPF community projects already underway here: UKSPF Case Studies | In North Somerset
Community collaboration is a key part of creating meaningful pride in place. This means that a priority for this grant round is to encourage joint projects, particularly between organisations who haven’t previously collaborated.
In a joint application, a ‘lead organisation’ should be nominated who will be the designated representative for the project.
However, this should not stop organisations from submitting an individual application, especially if addressing an area of need that is not currently being delivered.
Councillor Mark Canniford, North Somerset Council’s Executive Member for Placemaking and Economy, said: “The response to our first round of grants was inspiring and highlights the breadth of skills across our region to put North Somerset on the map as a great place to live and work. We are looking forward to working in partnership with more community groups and investing in innovative projects that will deliver local impact. I urge anyone interested to take a look at all of the support available and get applying!”
For more information about the UKSPF programme in North Somerset, visit innorthsomerset.co.uk/ukspf.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund replaces the EU Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) launched the Rural England Prosperity Fund (Rural Fund), a top up to the UKSPF worth up to £110 million for 2023/24 and 2024/25. It is the domestic replacement for the European funded LEADER Programme used to support the development of rural economies. For more information, visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/rural-england-prosperity-fund-prospectus/rural-england-prosperity-fund-prospectus.
