Community money - invested by the community
25 August 2016

Looking for Funds?

Many funders require you to find match-funding for their grants – We are in the process of developing this page so that you can find many of the local and national funders, and explore other ways than just grant applications.

We are also developing a local statistics guide which could be used to help give your application an evidence-based approach.

There are a variety of options for securing funds for your project, such as:

  • Individual Giving – Asking major donors to make gifts to your organisation
  • Major Donor Groups – May include board giving, a finance or development committee, etc
  • Events – Both large and small
  • Direct Mail
  • Telemarketing
  • Online and E-Giving
  • Grants – Foundations, Corporate, Government
  • Corporate Giving Programs
  • Minor Donor Groups
  • Participatory Fundraising – Like sponsored marathons and Big Local Dragons’ Dens
  • Annual Giving and Multi-Year Giving Campaigns

Grant giving bodies:

Local –

Radstock & Westfield Big Local: Small Fund Small Fund – Big Local | my Radstock | my Westfield (radstockwestfield.org.uk) Up to £500 for projects that benefit the community.

Radstock Town Council: http://www.radstock-tc.gov.uk/ – Occasionally have a grants pot and will consider speculative applications that aim to benefit the area.

Westfield Parish Council: http://www.westfieldparishcouncil.co.uk/grants/ – Occasionally have a grants pot and will consider speculative applications that aim to benefit the area.

Radstock Cooperative supports community projects: http://www.radstockcoop.co.uk/79/community – Get in touch with them to find out how.

B&NES Ward Councillors Fund, https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/neighbourhoods-and-community-safety/connecting-communities/ward-councillors-empowerment
Also contact your Ward Councillors to see if they can help in other ways – they tend to have many interesting, resourceful and powerful contacts!
Radstock Ward Councillors: Cllr Lesley Mansell,Lesley_Mansell@bathnes.gov.uk
and Cllr Chris Dando, Christopher_Dando@bathnes.gov.uk Westfield Ward Councillors: Cllr Eleanor Jackson, eleanor_jackson@bathnes.gov.uk and Cllr Robin Moss, Robin_Moss@bathnes.gov.uk

The Sperring Charity: https://www.thesperringcharity.co.uk/grants – Grants for people in need who live within a five-mile radius of the Church of St John the Baptist in Midsomer Norton, Bath.

The Freemasons: Connaught Lodge in Midsomer Norton provide regular grants for local charities. Charity News – Connaught Masonic Lodge No. 3573 (connaughtlodge.org) or contact Secretary3573@btinternet.com

St John’s Foundation – Support for Individuals and Organisations: https://www.stjohnsbath.org.uk/funding-support/ – financial assistance and practical support to individuals and charitable organisations across Bath and the surrounding area (Bath and North East Somerset).

Quartet Community Foundation:
https://quartetcf.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/ – Effective grant-making -which responds to the needs of community-based organisations in their focus area of benefits. Fund development – revenue and endowment which provides current and prospective donors with relevant opportunities for giving and consolidates their endowment as a basis for long term, sustainable charitable funding

It’s also worth checking with your local Rotary club to see if they’re interested in supporting your project (Somer Valley Rotary have generously supported our Dragons’ Den for a few years now!) Club Finder – Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland (rotarygbi.org)

The High Sheriff of Somerset has a grant scheme: Current High Sheriff | The High Sheriff of Somerset (highsheriffsomerset.org.uk)

The Police Crime Commissioner has a few funds: Grants available for communities to help prevent crime | OPCC for Avon and Somerset (avonandsomerset-pcc.gov.uk)

Medlock Charitable Trust also give frequently to charities in the Somerset area.

B&NES Community Contribution Fund – to help support with cost of living (inc. warm spaces initiatives)

Wider – check out the B&NES Funding Bulletin http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/neighbourhoods-and-community-safety/community-grants-and-funding/funding-bulletins (see documents tab in the right hand column on their webpage)

The National Lottery Community Fund is a great place to apply to – it’s a reasonably quick turnaround for smaller amounts, and there’s a South West representative who can give you some guidance too.

Grant search websites:

Join 3SG and access their Funds Online search engine (it would cost you around £1,000 to purchase the software, but membership of 3SG is from only £0 to £250 depending on the size of your organisation!).

Funding Central: http://www.fundingcentral.org.uk/

Connecting Capacity (funding advice): http://www.connectingcapacity.co.uk/

Get Grants: http://www.getgrants.org.uk/

Grant Finder: http://www.idoxgrantfinder.co.uk/

Turn2Us: http://www.turn2us.org.uk/

https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/  The Portal is used by a number of Authorities across the region and features a listing of all potential contract opportunities in excess of £50,000 and for some services contract opportunities below this figure.