Community Environment Challenge Fund Update

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Does your community have an environmental project or a piece of land to improve, which could make a significant difference to your local environment?

Is your idea widely supported within your community?

Perth & Kinross Council could support you with a grant of between £2,500 and £10,000.

What is the Community Environment Challenge Fund?

The Community Environment Challenge Fund is for environmental projects. The projects are to be led and delivered by community groups and must make a significant difference to the local environment and be widely supported within the community.

What kind of projects will be supported?

Projects which can demonstrate any of the following are a priority for support:
● ‘Spend to save’, eg changing bedding plants to herbaceous plants to save on maintenance and materials.
● Physical environmental improvement projects which reduce waste, reduce carbon, increase reuse and recycling or use environmentally-friendly materials.
● Enhance/contribute to the local economy such as tourism or craft or use of local materials.
● Benefits to the wider community encompassing a range of age groups and abilities.
● Link to other existing or planned regeneration initiatives (eg conservation area appraisals).
● An ability to complete the project within 12 months.
● Demonstrate environmental sustainability, eg carbon reduction.
In addition, there is a requirement for a long-term maintenance commitment for any projects undertaken through the Fund.

What can the grant not be used for?

The fund will not be able to support the following:
● Internal renovations of buildings as the fund is aimed at environmental improvements.
● Asset transfer.
● Staff costs unless it is for implementing the works.
● Un-adopted road repairs or maintenance.
● An increase in infrastructure on sites which do not have a commitment to long term maintenance.
● Completed projects.
● A project which has received funding from the Council in the past three years.

How much would the grant be?

Each community group will only be able to apply for one grant in each financial year.
Grant requests must be at least £2,500 and up to a maximum of £10,000 with 50% match funding. The whole project can be of any size and there is no defined maximum project cost.
Several projects can be teamed up together into one application so as to meet the minimum funding level.
In exceptional circumstances, where projects can demonstrate a wide range of physical environmental benefits within a community, a larger award may be made. The maximum award is up to 50% of the total costs.

Match-Funding

The funding will only be paid to the community group when proof has been supplied that match-funding has been secured. Match-funding can include fundraising activities, cash contributions and in-kind support. The track record of the community group mobilising in-kind support will also be considered as part of the application assessment.

Monitoring the Project

An End of Grant Monitoring Form will be provided to each community group who has received funding so that the positive impacts on the community and the local area can be recorded, shared and celebrated.

Who can apply?

• The organisation seeking funding must be a constituted group and could act on behalf of other community partners.
• Projects must be developed by community or voluntary organisations.
• The definition of a voluntary or community organisation is a body led by volunteers, is non-profit distributing, legally independent of the state, and is dedicated to a public good (CoSLA/SCVO 1998).
• The project must have the written support of all local Councillors in the Ward where the project is taking place.
• The project must also have the support of a range of local community groups such as Bloom Groups, Development Trusts, Youth Groups and Community Councils.
• Before work starts, projects must have the agreement of the landowner and also any statutory consent such as planning permission or building warrants if required.

Application

An electronic application form can be accessed either via www.pkgrantsdirect.com or www.pkc.gov.uk/CECF
Completed applications should be returned to Perth & Kinross Council Grants Direct, 2 High Street, PERTH, PH1 5PH. A paper application can be obtained by contacting Perth & Kinross Council’s Community Greenspace team.

Information and Support

project, assistance with completion of the application form or have any other questions regarding the Community Environment Challenge Fund, please contact Perth & Kinross Council’s Community Greenspace team by telephoning 01738 476476 or emailing communitygreenspace@pkc.gov.uk