Community Grants

Our community grants programme supports people and communities in need in Wiltshire and Swindon. Grants of up to £5,000 per year for up to three years are available to voluntary organisations for projects and activities that improve people's lives.

We prioritise applications from grassroots and small to medium-sized organisations that are working with people on low incomes. We are particularly interested in projects and activities that:

• Address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic
• Support children and young people
• Prevent or alleviate poor mental health
• Tackle poverty and inequality and its effects

However, we recognise that voluntary and community groups are the experts in need in their community and may identify other issues, therefore we are happy to consider applications that fall outside these areas.

If you are new to fundraising, please complete the form but do not be concerned about "getting it right” as we will arrange a call to talk through your application.

You can apply for a grant for:

• continuing something you are already doing
• new activity

You must plan to start spending the grant within 6 months of when it was awarded.

What costs can the grant pay for?

• any reasonable costs for your organisation or project including:
• cor running costs
• project and activity costs
• capital costs (buildings and equipment) but only if you already have the rest of the funds you need if the building or equipment is more than the grant

How much can I apply for?

• You can apply for a grant for 1, 2 or 3 years. The minimum per year is £750 and the maximum is £5,000.

Please note: if you are applying for capital costs (eg building or large equipment) the maximum you can apply for is £5,000.

Who must benefit from the grant? Most of the people who benefit from the grant must live in Swindon or Wiltshire. We also focus our grant giving on communities and people on low incomes.

You can apply for a grant if you are a:

• constituted voluntary or community organisation
• registered charity
• not-for-profit company including community interest companies where the majority of directors receive no payment from the company
• currently not in receipt of one of our Community Grants

The above organisations need to be a:

• local or regional organisation, i.e only working in Wiltshire or Swindon or in the south/south west of England. Please note the majority of people benefiting from the grant must live in Wiltshire or Swindon
• branch of a national organisations with a local management committee based in Wiltshire or Swindon, your own constitution, and a bank account you control

Your organisation must have:

• an active voluntary management committee with at least three people who are not:
  • related to each other or in a long-term relationship
  • living at the same address

Your organisation needs the following financial arrangements and documents:

• a bank account with two signatories that are not related to each other
• less than 12 months running costs in unrestricted reserves. This means in your end of year financial accounts, Unrestricted reserves (not including Designated funds) must be less than your Expenditure
• financial records or accounts
• a recent bank statement
• a constitution
• a financial plan or budget showing this year's expected income, expenditure and reserves. If you do not have these we will discuss this with you when you apply.
• a Safeguarding Policy and an Equal Opportunities Policy. Again, if you do not have these we will discuss this with you when you apply. Further guidance is available here

New organisations who do not have the above in place may be able to apply under the umbrella of another charitable organisation.