The Community Grants programme allows the Council to award discretionary grants to support a range of voluntary and community organisations to carry out projects and provide activities to benefit local people. 

The maximum grant fund award per organisation is £1,000.

Eligibility Criteria

Who do we fund?

• Community, voluntary and registered charitable organisations
• Not-for-profit groups that are properly constituted, with a signed set of group rules (please note that the Council is unlikely to fund an organisation that is in poor financial health as it must be satisfied that the project can be delivered).

What won’t be funded?

• Individuals or an item or project that mainly benefits an individual.
• Projects from private companies, profit-making or trading organisations, or business enterprises.
• Party political activities.
• Religious worship or observance; or works to buildings or grounds that are used solely by a religious organisation.
• Any costs incurred when putting together the application or before confirmation of a grant award.
• Projects that take place solely outside of Fair Oak & Horton Heath – the project must be of direct benefit to people living in the Parish.

In addition to the criteria above, organisations must meet certain Social Value criteria as listed, but not limited to, below:

Community

How is your organisation giving back to the community? What activities and initiatives are you providing to address the needs of or to empower residents?

Sustainability

How is your organisation supporting/protecting or impacting positively on the environment?  Are you striving to meet Net Zero? Do you have a sustainable ethos or policies in place?

Well-being

How are your organisation's activities improving/supporting the general well-being of the local community?

Inclusion/Diversity

Show how your organisation is promoting and demonstrating inclusion and diversity.

The Process

• Applications must be made between 31 July and 31 October each year. 
• Applications should specify the start date of the proposed project/activity.
• If an activity is to be repeated in future years, a separate application must be made. Please note: a successful application for funding in one year does not guarantee a further award for the same activity.
• The information provided on the form must be up-to-date and complete at the time of submission.
• Failure to supply any information requested by the council may hinder the success of your application.
• Once the application deadline has passed the Council’s Officers will assess each application to make sure that it meets the eligibility criteria. Only those applications which pass this initial assessment will progress to the next stage.
• All applications received will then be determined by the Finance Committee at their meeting in December, after which the Committee will make their final recommendations to the Full Council.
• Applicants will be notified of the decision on their grant following this meeting. And funds will be released in February of the following year.
• Applicants can only use the money for that purpose stated in the application, and for no other purpose whatsoever.
• Fair Oak & Horton Heath Parish Council must be acknowledged as a funding partner in any marketing and promotional materials for the project.
• Successful applicants will need to prove that the grant is being used for the purpose that has been agreed and evidence, such as invoices and receipts, will need to be provided via a report due to the Council nine months after the award is received.
• If the money is not used for the specified purpose, for whatever reason, it must be returned to the Council within 2 years of the decision to award the grant.
• Any award approved by the parish council is made subject to the acceptance of terms and conditions.  A declaration signed by the authorised officer of the organisation agreeing to these terms and conditions must be received before payment is made.
• The Council's decision on the consideration of applications received is final, and there is no right of appeal.