3.1 Obtaining funding

Organise your own fund-raising events: Don’t forget the traditional forms of fund-raising such as sponsored walks, jumble sales, fetes, coffee mornings, car boot sales, dances, discos, bingo nights, whist drives and even the odd poker evening. As well as being fun, they develop camaraderie and community spirit between everyone involved in your project. Don’t forget to send out a news release to publicise your event and follow it up with a phone call to your main targets such as the Star newspaper, to check if they will be sending a photographer.

From other organisations.

There is a list of addresses at the end of this section. It will tell you where you can obtain funding. Check each of the sources and write off to the organisations you think might be able to help you or your group.

They will send you an application form. Fill it in to the best of your ability and in accordance with the instructions. Then send it off within the relevant time limits to the appropriate address.

Here’s hoping you will be successful but if not, don’t give up. Many funders will only provide part of the cost of a project. You should check restrictions before applying. Sometimes, volunteer labour can be counted as if it was a monetary contribution to the whole project. The Local Heritage Initiative is a community based scheme run by the Countryside Agency, for ten years from 2000. It is very broadly based and fairly flexible, providing grants from £3 000 to £15 000 per project, for community based projects for local groups to research and care for their local landscape, landmarks, traditions and culture (see section 3.1.7, Grants for address).

Help from Sheffield City Council

The Council may be prepared to support your project financially if you can show how it will benefit the community and contribute to the quality of life, as well as to the educational and recreational opportunities it will bring to local people. They run several community grant schemes, details of which can be obtained from.

English Nature

English Nature can sometimes provide funding for community environmental projects through their own grants schemes. They are also an excellent source of information on other funding opportunities both nationally and locally. English Nature run National and Local Biodiversity schemes, aimed at the restoration of priority species and habitats and the delivery of conservation targets through practical action. The Biodiversity Grant Scheme will run for three years from April 2000, providing upto 50% grants per year. They also allow volunteer time to make up the other 50%

To find out about these and other grants from EN contact their main office at:

Or the Humber to Pennines Regional team at;

Other local sources of funding

Rotary Clubs, Round Table branches, parish and town councils, natural history societies, and civic societies are often good sources of financial aid. They have a fine record of boosting projects that bring prestige and favourable publicity to their areas, particularly if they contribute to achieving common goals and bring in other funds.

Approaches to local firms and businesses frequently pay dividends. They often give donations to community environmental projects or donate tools and equipment such as rubbish skips, spades, drainage pipes, bin-bags, protective clothing, construction material, and pond-liners.

Some firms lay paths at project areas or provide transport for work volunteers, building material, or rubbish removal. Very often developers will work with communities to enhance land remaining from a development. Be prepared to acknowledge any support you receive publicly.

Grants

N.B. This is by no means a comprehensive list.

Camelot Foundation, 1 Derry St. London, W8 5HY. Community support grants of up to £5 000 pounds for a variety of purposes.

Dulux Community Projects Scheme: Will provide paint for community art projects. Contact Dulux Community Projects Office, PO Box 343

London WC2E 8RJ.

Local Heritage Initiative The Countryside Agency, Yorkshire and the Humber Region, 2nd Floor , Victoria Wharf, No4 The Enbankment, Sovereign St., Leeds LS1 4BA. Grants of £3 000 to £15 000 for local groups to investigate, explain and care for their local landscapes, landmarks, traditions and culture.

European Social Fund Unit Department for Education and Employment, 1 Caxton House Tothill St, London SW1H 9NF. Supports innovative projects developing local employment and forms of work organisation, and to support community development.

Ethnic Minorities Award Scheme. Black Environment Network, 9 Llainwen Uchaf, Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales LL55 4LL. Supports environmental projects that have a significant number of participants from ethnic minorities.

Natural Pioneers Millennium Awards BTCV 36 Mary St. Wallingford Oxfordshire, OX10 0EU. Grants for training of between £1000 and £3,500 for individuals needing new skills in order to lead community groups undertaking environmental projects.

Shell Better Britain Campaign Victoria Works, 21a, Graham St. Birmingham BQL. Grants up to £2000 from the Community Projects Fund for initiatives to improve the quality of life at neighbourhood level,