Grants are available for community projects within, or of benefit to, the Carron Valley & District Community. Small Community Grants are available up to £5,000 with Larger Community Grants available for viable and sustainable projects over £5,000.
What can be funded:
Community Grants should address at least one of VRG’s Objects and at least one of the Identified challenges and opportunities for the community. These are detailed within the Guidance tab above.
Examples of some previously funded Community projects, along with ideas for potential community projects can be found within the website’s Projects pages.
What cannot be funded:
The Community Grants cannot fund projects which provide a direct private profit; benefit only an individual household; do not directly benefit residents of the Carron Valley and District Area; or which do not support VRG’s objective and charitable aims.
Who is eligible:
Applications are welcomed from both individuals and community groups. Applicants will normally be resident in the Carron Valley & District Community Council area, however projects from applicants out with the region, which provide a direct and tangible benefit to the region will be considered. Full eligibility criteria can be found in the Guidance tab above.
How do I apply:
Read the Guidance note in the tab above in full. Gather the required information, Larger Community Grants will be require to submit a Project Plan along side their application, depending on the project this should likely include:
- Evidence of the support and need for the project within the community;
- Expected benefits for the community and outcomes of the project with a clear link between these outcomes and VRG’s objectives,
- Quotes/costings for equipment or works,
- A timeline of planning implementation/activity; and
- reporting plan to feedback to VRG on progress and completion of the project.
Complete and submit the Community Grant Application Form in the tab above.
The Grants Sub-Group, will assess each application. We aim to respond within 4-6 weeks of receipt of a completed application. Further information may be requested during this time.
During the assessment process each Community Grant, whether successful or unsuccessful, will be appointed a Nominated Contract within the VRG Board. This will be the projects direct contact throughout the grant process.
If you require any support with your application or would like to discuss a possible application please contact us
Types of Community Grant available:
- Small Community Grants (for individuals, groups or organisations) may be for any amount up to £5,000
- Larger Community Grants for viable and sustainable projects may be for any amount over £5,000 and require further information to be provided on application (see below for further information).
Eligibility criteria. Applications must:
- Be normally from an individual group or organisation based in the Carron Valley Community Council area. However applications may be considered from individuals, groups and organisations outwith the Carron Valley Community where the principal objective is for the benefit of the Carron Valley Community and in line with the criteria already indicated above.
- Be signed by someone 16 years of age or over;
- Address at least one of the VRG Objects AND at least one of the identified challenges or opportunities for the Carron Valley Community. See below for a list of these and that will help you to identify how your project fits.
VRG Objectives
- To advance environmental protection:
• Promoting measures to encourage more efficient use of the world’s resources
• More efficient use of non- renewable energy sources
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus avoid damage to the natural
environment by global warming
- To advance citizenship and community development, promotion of civic responsibility.
voluntary sector and the effectiveness or efficiency of charities
- To advance education in the fields of renewable energy, energy conservation and similar areas.
- To encourage, stimulate and support volunteering principally in the operating area.
- To provide recreational facilities and organise recreational activities particularly within the operating area – available to the public and with the object of improving their conditions of life.
- To promote, establish and or support similar schemes and projects which further charitable purposes within the operating area.
Community Challenges and Opportunities
- A small and ageing population, thinly spread throughout the area, with two main clusters of houses at Carron Valley / Buckieburn and Sauchieburn / Auchenbowie
- Few local facilities and no central meeting point for community groups to gather and socialise
- No reliable means of communication across everyone within the community
The community is seeking to realise its opportunities through:
- Increased sustainability and self-sufficiency
- Improved access to social and training opportunities
- Improving home energy efficiency
- Improving communication across the community and beyond.
These challenges and opportunities have been identified through previous community consultations, statistical evidence, local research and feedback from current projects and grant schemes.
In addition, where a project involves children or young or vulnerable adults VRG will check whether the applicant has contacted the appropriate authorities and whether police checks have yet been carried out. Similar questions may be asked where health and safety or planning permission might be an issue for the project.
The procedure for making a grant application is as follows:
- Read these guidelines in full
- Obtain a quote or price for work or items
- Complete the application form in the tab above and send it to the VRG Administrator together with relevant quotes
The VRG Grants Sub-committee will review applications as and when they are submitted and distributed to the panel, with a response typically provided to the applicant within four to six weeks for individual and community grants. This timeline is for guidance since the VRG is run by unpaid volunteers who give their time voluntarily to the group.
The VRG Grants Sub-committee will refer to the VRG Board if consensus cannot be reached and for larger project decisions.
In making grants the VRG Grants Sub-committee will be guided by how well the project will address the identified challenges and opportunities for the community, the general principles outlined above and VRG’s Objectives and governing document. The Sub-committee reserves the right to decline to support an application which they consider not to address any challenge faced by the community, not conforming to the general principles or is ineligible. Applicants refused a grant will be entitled to receive an explanation for the decision and the Board’s decision will be final. The guidelines specify the upper limit of any award to be made. Should you not be happy with any part of the process
please inform us as soon as possible in writing to Secretary.
For approved grants, VRG will ear-mark the grant sum for 12 months for the applicant to complete the project or purchase. On production of valid receipt(s) the grant will be paid out. If a receipt is not provided within 12 months the earmarking will cease.
If a clear need is evidenced then partial upfront funding could be provided for a project that would not otherwise be able to take place, decided on merit by the VRG Board on a case by case basis.
For Larger Community Projects requesting over £5,000. There is the potential for larger community focussed projects to be developed. These requests will be initially assessed using the summary provided on the small grants form. The VRG Board will consider whether the project is eligible using this information and then request further information, commensurate with the size of grant being requested. This additional information will be required to illustrate the viability and sustainability of your proposals and is likely to be in the form of a Business Plan or supplementary information including the options considered, financial appraisal, markets and beneficiaries, project and operational plans, community support for the project and community benefits to be achieved. This will enable VRG to assess larger projects on on a case by case and make informed, transparent decisions regarding investment and taking advice as required. A VRG Director will be a key point of contact for the group during this process.
VRG Grant Conditions
Any award made will be subject to the following conditions:
- No work or purchase for which a grant is sought should take place until notification of an award has been made in writing.
- Grants will only be provided for projects, works or goods that have not been purchased before application (i.e. grants can’t be retrospective).
- Payment of the grant will be made on completion of the work, or of the purchase, on presentation of the appropriate receipt(s).
- A short final report must be submitted within three months of the completion date of the project. The format of this report will be agreed in advance by VRG with the relevant organisation or Group. This must include copies of all receipts. For multi period projects a monitoring report will require to be submitted prior to each additional payment being made.
- Should any organisation fail within five years of the award, any assets purchased through funds awarded by Valley Renewables must be returned to VRG to be reallocated.
- Valley Renewables shall be entitled to reclaim any funds that it considers to have been used inappropriately, or where spend is not evidenced.
- It is the responsibility of any organisation / individual to ensure that assets bought with the awards are properly insured and fit for purpose.
- Grants are awarded on a one off basis, and it must not be assumed a further grant will be made unless stated.
- Any publicity must acknowledge the source of funding.
Example of Community Grants
Types of projects likely to be funded by VRG include:
Social PROJECTS
Activities, services and facilities that bring people together and enable them to work collaboratively as a community, including communal transport provision
HOME WORKS
Works that improve people’s homes for energy efficiency, passive solar and community safety
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
running courses or attendance of training, purchasing learning materials and tools for courses with an environmental theme.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS
Projects and activities that improve the environment, promote better use of resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
SELF SUFFICENCY PROJECTS
Projects that increase people’s ability to produce their own food and power sustainably.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Projects that install renewable energy technologies within the community
COMMUNICATION
Activities that increase communication across the community, including social media and community events
INNOVATION
Other innovative and imaginative charitable projects which fit within VRG Objectives and improve the quality of life of the people living in the Carron Valley Community Council area.
Projects that would not be considered reasonable to receive funding (ineligible) would be:
- Promotion of any specific political or religious purpose
- Projects already funded in full through the public sector or other grant funders
- Projects that are against the interest of energy conservation or energy efficiency
- Projects which would be considered not to be in the best interests of the community
- Projects that have traditionally been funded by other organisations where funding is still available.
- Projects that have the potential to cause harm or distress to other members of the community
- Projects that are clearly at odds with VRG’s Objectives in the articles of association
- Projects where works or goods have been purchased before an application is made (i.e. grants can’t be retrospective).