Funding body information

Bournemouth Borough Council

Address:
Safer and Stronger Communities
Town Hall
Bourne Avenue
Bournemouth
BH2 6DY
Telephone:
01202 451451
Website:
http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk

Point of contact:

Gary Bentham, Senior Community Development Officer, 01202 451 165, gary.bentham@bournemouth.gov.uk
Arts Development, (Arts Grants), 01202 451805, artsdevelopment@bournemouthlibraries.org.uk

Schemes:

Bournemouth Borough Council provides a number of small grants schemes for the voluntary and community sector.

Bournemouth Borough Council - Grants to Voluntary Organisations

The council provides a general grants scheme for community groups that have a constitution in Bournemouth. Its main funding priorities are to fund groups that work for the benefit of the whole community and which value diversity.

Grants are usually given for capital and revenue costs and given up to a maximum of £5,000 and applications are processed every 10 to 12 weeks.

The council generally excludes projects that have little impact on the local community such as the promotion of the arts. Examples of past grants includes those made to Unity in Vision, a multi ethnic heritage group, grants towards a football in the community project, which worked with young people at risk of anti-social behaviour and grants towards projects tackling domestic violence and abuse.

Environmental Community Small Grants Scheme

This scheme is available to community groups which benefit the Borough of Bournemouth. Funding is available for projects which are community based and contribute towards improving the local environment and green spaces with a particular emphasis on tackling crime, fear of crime and anti-social behaviour. There is an overall budget of £20,000 which has to be distributed by 31st March 2010, and applications are dealt with as and when they are received by the council.

Bournemouth’s Safer Neighbourhood Areas Community Chest Grants Scheme

Funding is available for projects in the Safer Neighbourhood Areas (Boscombe West, Townsend, West Howe, Kinson North & West Southbourne have dedicated schemes) which are community led or identified by residents, and contribute towards the following aims of:

• Increasing the capacity of local communities to participate in local decision making and influence service delivery.

• Improving the quality of life in communities and ensure service providers are more responsive to neighbourhood needs and improve the delivery.

A total budget of £10,000 is available across the areas and has to be fully distributed by 28 February 2010 (excluding Boscombe West, Townsend, West Howe, Kinson North & West Southbourne who have £3,000 per area). Again, this scheme administers grants as and when applications are received.

Safer & Stronger Communities Fund – Safer & Stronger Communities Programme

This scheme provides funding for projects that contribute to the reduction of crime, fear of crime, perceptions of anti- social behaviour and harm caused by illegal drugs. The priorities for 2009 - 2010 are:

A total budget of £20,000 is available across the borough, which has to be spent before 31st March 2010. Applications are processed quarterly.

Local Improvement Funds – Bournemouth Borough Council

Each Bournemouth Ward in the 2009/10 financial period has £5000 to spend on projects of benefit to the community in each of their Wards, which is distributed at the discretion of Bournemouth Ward Members (Councillors). Applications are solicited or recommended by the Ward Members and no direct application is accepted.

Arts Grants

Bournemouth Council also runs a specific grants scheme for small-scale arts projects, which can give up to £800 per project. Details of eligibility criteria, application forms and guidelines can be found on the website through the following link: Bournemouth Arts Grants. The latest deadline passed on February 28 2010

Further details on any of the above funds can be found at the following link: Funding for Charities and Voluntary Groups.

Useful organisations:

Local CVS that provides help and support for voluntary and community groups in Bournemouth: www.bournemouthcvs.org.uk

DSC's Funder Rating

Rating: 3 (out of 5)

Bournemouth borough council's website appears to have improved greatly in the last quarter; although not immediately easy to find, there is now full information available on all grant programmes provided by the council, including contact details, deadlines, application forms, guidelines, and eligibility criteria.

This is listed under the following route:

Living - Communities - Stronger Communities - Funding

During our research we spoke to the senior community development officer and other members of staff at the council, who were happy to provide further information and take enquiries at a later stage.

.What is the DSC Funder Rating?

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