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The Shropshire Community Fund

Grants of up to £750 are available for small, local, new and self-help groups in Shropshire.

The Fund was set up in 1989 in order to raise money in Shropshire and to direct it to local charities in the County. In 1995 it absorbed the Rural Initiative Fund. The Fund now receives its income from a variety of sources including payroll deductions from individuals (Give As You Earn), support from a grant from the Primary Care Trust and donations made under the Gift Aid Scheme. The Fund is administered by the Community Council of Shropshire. Decisions are made by a Committee with voluntary and statutory sector representatives and meetings are held quarterly.

Applications are invited from organisations:

• Which are located within Shropshire and/or have a significant number of beneficiaries within the County.
• Which are, preferably, registered charities or have Inland Revenue charitable status or are established for charitable purposes.

Preference will be given to smaller, local and new groups with limited resources.

Priority will be given to social welfare groups whose activities are related to Care in the Community or the implementation of the Childrens Act (especially self-help groups around health and which make significant use of volunteers).

A small number of grants are available for other types of groups.

Funding is available for projects that meet at least one of the following criteria:

1. Start up costs of newly formed groups or support for new developments of existing groups.
2. Training costs for volunteers and staff.
3. Small capital grants for equipment.
4. Recurring grants and grants for general revenue costs may be considered for social welfare groups where no staff are employed and for a maximum of 3 consecutive years in any 5 year period.

Exclusions:

1. Grants to individuals.
2. Salary costs of staff and other core costs.
3. Organisations which are already funded by the Primary Care Trust.
4. Well resourced organisations that could achieve funding from elsewhere, or have reserves.
5. Costly projects where a grant from the Community Fund would make little differerence.
6. Repairs or improvements to buildings.

Please note:

1. Grants are limited to a normal maximum of £750 and this figure will only be exceeded in exceptional circumstances. Grants are not necessarily dependent on matching funding although this will be welcome.
2. Applications are normally only considered at the quarterly meetings but requests for small amounts (under £75) can be processed more quickly to meet your urgent needs.
3. The Community Fund often receives applications for grants in excess of its limited resources. It will not therefore be possible for all applications which meet the criteria to be successful an dthe Fund can give no guarantee to meet the future funding needs of groups it has supported.

How to apply

Fully completed forms, with all attachments, should be returned by the given deadline to:

Voluntary Sector Support Unit
Shropshire Community Fund
The Creative Quarter
Shrewbury Business Park
Shrewsbury
SY2 6LG

Tel: 01743 360641, Fax: 01743 233335, email: enquiries@shropshire-rcc.org.uk.

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