Near Neighbours

As an independent local grantmaker, we support voluntary and community groups working for the benefit of people living within Luton and Bedfordshire. We award all our grants from the numerous funds we manage on behalf of statutory agencies, private donors, companies and local families.

Near Neighbours: Recognising the potential impact that London Luton airport has in some neighbouring areas, Luton Rising Small Grants (formerly London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL)), provides short term funding to not-for-profit groups that can deliver in the against the main objectives of this fund. Areas included are; Central Bedfordshire, North Herts, St. Albans, Dacorum, Stevenage, Eastern parts of Aylesbury Vale District and also some neighbouring villages. *Eastern Aylesbury Vale areas covered are: Great Brickhill, Wing, Wingrave, Cheddington, Edlesborough and Pitstone.

INTRODUCTION: The Near Neighbours Fund is administered by the Bedfordshire & Luton Community Foundation (BLCF), on behalf of Luton Rising (formerly London Luton Airport Ltd (LLAL)). Grants of up to £5,000 can be considered, generally but not necessarily limited to one year only to support community and voluntary activity in Luton. BLCF currently operate a rolling application process, meaning that you can apply at any time. Decision panels are held five times a year and application review dates are confirmed shortly after you apply.

The main objectives (summarised) for this fund are: -Securing a strong economic recovery -Protecting the most disadvantaged in our town -Making a child-friendly town -Becoming greener and more sustainable town -A strong and empowered community

Applicants applying for this fund will need to demonstrate that the services they are intending to provide will meet these key objectives and outcomes. Decisions will be made by a community panel, who meet on a regular basis, who best understand their local area and the change they want to see.

ELIGIBILITY: We are only able to consider applications from not-for-profit constituted groups that have clear charitable aims. To be considered for funding, an organisation should be able to demonstrate the following: • That the activity undertaken directly contributes to the key objectives and outcomes for the funding programme. • That it has the capacity, knowledge, skills, and resources to deliver its activities effectively. • That it is properly constituted according to its form, and is effectively governed and managed with, wherever appropriate, user involvement or participation in the planning, development and management of the organisation and its activities. • That it is properly financially managed, in good financial health, and not holding an amount of unrestricted funds that is disproportionately high in relation to annual expenditure. • That it is committed to the promotion of equality, cohesion, and inclusion both within its client group and across the community as a whole, and that this is demonstrated through the way it plans and delivers its activities. • That its estimate of the funding required to deliver its activities is realistic and reasonable and represents good value for money. • That it has an effective complaints policy, procedure, or mechanism (if someone complains about the service you provide, how do you deal with it?) • That, where it deals with children, young people, and vulnerable adults, it has an effective safeguarding policy in place, and that the governing body, staff are thoroughly and regularly trained and monitored to ensure compliance. • That it has a track record of partnership working, wherever appropriate, with others working in the same, similar, or complementary field of activity. • That it is not in receipt of any other Luton Rising funds for the same project • That it recognises that it cannot expect continual funding from Luton Rising, and that it has a track record of, wherever possible, seeking funds from different sources, has made efforts to become sustainable, and has a clear exit strategy for dealing with a situation where funding stops.

If you are applying as part of a consortium, please speak to a member of the Grants team in the first instance. Please note that the organisation that submits the bid will be known as the lead organisation and must be an eligible entity from the list above, this organisation will manage the funds and the outcome monitoring if successful. The lead organisation should have a signed partnership agreement with all the other organisations in the consortium also, which we will ask to see a copy of.