Community Chest Grants
What is the Community Chest?
The Community Chest is grant funding available to voluntary and community sector groups, charities and public sector bodies wishing to further improve quality of life in South Cambridgeshire.
Grant applications are discussed at the Grants Advisory Committee.
The GrantGrabber Service is now available as a self-serve facility for any voluntary and community groups and Parish Councils wishing to search for funding opportunities for community projects.
The scheme enables users to search online for a wide range of funding sources and other information.
Apply online for a Community Chest Grant
Streams of funding
The Community Chest is made up of 4 streams of funding:
Community Chest funding: Community Chest
Amount available 2024-25: £59,160
Who can apply?
Community Group (including CIC): Yes
Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting with fewer than 200 registered electors: Yes
Parish/ Town Council of any size: No
Community Chest funding: Biodiversity Grants
Amount available 2024-25: £10,200
Who can apply?
Community Group (including CIC): Yes
Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting with fewer than 200 registered electors: Yes
Parish/Town Council of any size: Yes
Community Chest funding: Community-Led Plans
Community Group (including CIC): Yes
Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting with fewer than 200 registered electors: Yes
Parish/Town Council of any size: Yes
Community Chest funding: Cost-Of-Living
Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting with fewer than 200 registered electors: Yes
Parish/Town Council of any size: Yes
Who can apply?
Who can apply?
Applicants must be either:
- a non-profit group or organisation (including Community Interest Companies, CIC) based in South Cambridgeshire or benefiting South Cambridgeshire residents, or be a public sector body with a demonstrable community focus (individuals and businesses are not eligible)
- a Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting with fewer than 200 registered electors*, with the exemption of:
- Parish/Town Councils of any size can apply for funding for costs involved in the undertaking, creation or refreshing of a Community-Led Plan (Parish Plan). This does not cover the costs of delivering projects emerging from a Community-led Plan (further details below)
- Parish/Town Councils of any size can apply for biodiversity grants through this fund provided that they are not already in receipt of a grant from the Council’s Zero Carbon Communities grant fund
- Parish/Town Councils of any size can apply for grants that provide a benefit to those affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
*The Committee reserves the right to supersede this clause should the Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting show good cause, for example:
a) The Parish/Town Council or Parish Meeting have multiple settlements and the application pertains to any one of these which satisfies the 200-elector threshold or
b) Registered electors are within 10% of the threshold.
In addition to the above, applicants must also:
- Have a written constitution or mission statement
- Have an elected committee or representative steering group
- Be able to provide an up-to-date copy of their accounts and any relevant protection policies
If you have questions about these criteria, please contact us using the details below.
If your organisation does not have a written constitution, mission statement and/or relevant protection policies please contact Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service for advice in meeting these requirements. Please call 01223 464 696 or email enquiries@cambridgecvs.org.uk
What must the project deliver?
The community activity or project must:
- Meet local need and leave a legacy for the community
- Ensure equality of access
Help us deliver 1 or more of the following aims:
- Promote healthy and active communities
- Enable inclusive communities
- Develop skills
- Enhance the natural environment/a sustainable increase in local biodiversity
- Deliver community engagement through the creation or refreshing of a Community-led Plan
- Provide a benefit to those affected by the cost-of-living crisis
What can be funded?
The activity or project should be one of the following:
- Improvements to community buildings and spaces (for example, village halls/pavilions/play areas, and so forth)
- Repairs to Historic Buildings/Monuments/Memorials
- Equipment/Capital Purchase
- Materials
- ‘Start-up’ costs (may include training of staff/volunteers, hall hire and other revenue costs)
- Costs involved with undertaking and creating or refreshing of a Community-Led Plan (resulting projects will only receive funding where they would have been eligible for the Community Chest anyway)
-
Regarding cost-of-living projects, examples could include -
- repair cafés where the local community can help in getting household items fixed for free
- Timebanking projects (an exchange-based work trading system in which hours are the currency, instead of money)
- lunch clubs for those in need (excludes the cost of food)
- Community support initiatives that provide food/ activities/ support services/ educate individuals on reducing food waste and cooking low-cost meals
- setting up/running a group or charity where people can obtain free furniture, clothing, food, toys. Free, impartial legal guidance can be found on the Business Companion website
- establishing or building the capacity of food hubs, food banks, or community fridges
- Capital costs needed to set up a warm hub (excluding warm hubs run by Cambridgeshire ACRE and any ongoing revenue costs, for example, heating costs)
- For biodiversity projects:
- The purchase and planting of native trees
- Hedgerows, wildflower meadows or other vegetation in appropriate and suitable locations and their ongoing maintenance
- The construction and erection of bird and bat boxes in suitable locations
- The creation or improvement of wildlife habitats (terrestrial or aquatic)
- The improvement of existing habitat
What cannot be funded?
The following cannot be funded by this grant:
- on-going revenue costs or overheads, for example, salaries, rent, advertising, promotional materials. The exceptions to this are:
- the creation of Community-led Plans (revenue costs associated with the resulting projects will not be funded)
- Cost-of-living projects (revenue costs cannot be used to cover the cost of food or the ongoing costs needed to run a warm hub, such as heating costs)
- activities, events or services which have already taken place, including staff development time
- Projects that replace funding by other public sector bodies, including Parish/Town councils (for example youth services, highways)
- projects that have not received the support of all local District Councillor(s) for the ward/s concerned. Please ensure when contacting your local District Councillor(s) that they are all provided with full details of your project or a copy of your application form
- costs associated with Neighbourhood Watch schemes
- costs associated with Community Speedwatch schemes or other traffic initiatives
- items that would only benefit ‘individuals’ and not the group (for example, sports kits)
- non-native flower tubs
- infrastructure projects on Parish/Town Council owned buildings/land where the applicant is not the Parish/Town Council. There are some infrastructure exceptions, in which case, a 50% financial contribution from the Parish/Town council is expected. These exceptions are:
- Any biodiversity project
- Any cost of living project
- Any project where the applicant has a long-term lease (with at least 10 years remaining) in place with the Parish/Town council
- Any project that does not have a major impact on the fabric of a building or structure of the land. For example, the installation of new blinds, planters or seating areas.
Within the Community Chest, infrastructure projects are defined as those which alter the structure/fabric of a building or land. This includes elements such as walls, flooring, roofs or paths. In certain circumstances where the life of the infrastructure change is not expected to be 10 years, applications could still be considered by the Grants Advisory Committee.
How much can be applied for?
The maximum award is £2,000 in any single financial year (April to March) and can be for 100% of project costs.
If a group is awarded funding of less than £2,000 in any single financial year, an application can be made again within the same year for extra funding, as long as the total allocation for that year does not exceed £2,000.
If a group is awarded funding of up to and including £2,000, for any of the Community Chest themes in any single financial year, they can apply again within the same year for up to and including £2,000, for funding of other Community Chest themes.
If a group is awarded funding of up to and including £2,000, for any of the Community Chest themes in any single financial year, they can also apply for any other Council funded grants within the same financial year, and vice versa.
Where appropriate, applicants are encouraged to seek part-funding from other sources including their Parish/Town council. There is no requirement for this, but if there is high demand for funding, it may mean that the District Council is only able to make a contribution to your project.
The Council reserves the right to prioritise based on funding available, size of electorate, Parish/Town precept, indices of deprivation, number and type of applications received at any given time, priorities for the financial year and value for money. Eligibility does not guarantee grant funding.
When can groups apply?
Subject to availability of funds, successful applicants will be funded after each Grant's Advisory Committee (GAC) meeting. Applications will need to be received by the seventh day of any given month to be considered at the Grant's Advisory Committee meeting within the same month. This also applies at the end of each financial year - applications received after 7 March will be held over and considered within the new financial year (at April GAC), along with any held over from the March meeting itself.
Upcoming meeting dates can be found on the Council’s Grant's Advisory Committee webpage.
Preferred Green Options
We will always ask applicants to seek a green option when purchasing items for their projects and this must be evidenced within the application.
For example, a group may be looking to purchase a new minibus for their community. We would expect the group to evidence and include market research with their application demonstrating that a similar electrically powered vehicle has been considered. However, if the electric alternative is not within price range, or would not be fit for purpose this must be explained before we would consider contributing towards an alternative.
For biodiversity projects: planting of trees, hedgerows, wildflower meadows or other vegetation must be native. The construction and erection of bird and bat boxes must be in suitable locations.
Natural Cambridgeshire have produced a useful Local Nature Recovery Toolkit which provides guidance, advice and support for Communities wanting to create nature recovery plans.
What supporting documentation is required?
To support your application, you will need:
- a copy of your organisation’s constitution or mission statement
- a copy of your latest accounts (audited if available)
- a quote for the community activity or project
- a copy of your safeguarding policy
- a copy of any correspondence from your local District Councillor(s) showing they are supportive of your project
- a bank statement for the account you wish the funds to be paid into. Statement but be dated within the last month
- applications for funding towards the creation of Community-led Plans that are not made by the Parish/Town Council itself should demonstrate that the Parish / Town Council is supportive of the application
For biodiversity projects please include:
- a plan of the proposed work, including a project map and project outcomes
- a timeline of the proposed work indicating mileposts and delivery date
- a brief management plan which describes how the project will be sustainable
For Community-led Plan applications, details should be supplied of any funding being allocated by the Parish / Town Council to the creation of the Plan.
In addition, the following will be required if relevant to the project:
- appropriate protection policies: children, young people, vulnerable adults
- public Rights of Way consent from landowner
- any other relevant material that would support your application
How will the grant be paid?
If successful, the applicant will receive the grant payment once we have received acknowledgement of the grant offer and acceptance of the terms and conditions.
What are the conditions of funding?
Groups that are awarded a grant will be expected to comply with the following conditions as a minimum:
- funding must only be used for the agreed purpose and spent within 12-months of the award being made (unless otherwise agreed in writing)
- any publicity must acknowledge the award provided
- unused grant must be returned to South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC)
- an end of project evaluation must be submitted to us within 3-months of project completion
- defibrillators - only the cost of defibrillators will be funded through the Community Chest Grant scheme and the associated accessories and ongoing maintenance/training (the provision of which the Committee will want assurance) will be funded by the applicant
Defibrillators must be located where they can be accessed by the public at all times and Defib Finder provides up to date information on defibrillator locations across the UK, using data from The Circuit, the national defibrillator network.
- projects on Parish/Town Council owned buildings/land - applicants will be expected to demonstrate that the same organisation will be purchasing, owning and maintaining the equipment/items (for example where a Parish/Town council owns a building, a community group using that building cannot apply for funding if they would not be owning and maintaining the purchased equipment/items)
For biodiversity projects:
- the project must deliver a sustainable increase in local biodiversity, known as Biodiversity Net Gain. An increase means that you should be able to demonstrate positive change in biodiversity from pre-project conditions (for example: number of trees, number of square metres of land - either created or improved)
- sustainability means that it should persist over time and not be a temporary change
Any award will not be means tested, but applicants will be expected to have sought other means of local funding, especially from the parish council who may have funds available through planning developments (S106) or through its precept (S137).
Successful applicants
Month |
Organisation |
Amount awarded |
Project |
---|---|---|---|
July 2024 |
Duxford Community Centre CIO |
£1,183.78 |
Bicycle racks |
July 2024 |
Hale Road Allotment & Gardening Association |
£2,000 |
Purchase of a container to store a tractor mower |
July 2024 |
Fenland Squash Club |
£2,000 |
Refurbishment work on two of the courts |
June 2024 |
Weston Colville Reading Room and Recreation Ground |
£1870.60 |
Two fence mounted interactive play panels |
June 2024 |
Linton Village Cricket Club |
£2,000 |
Replacement sight screens |
June 2024 |
Cambourne Church |
£1,200 |
IBC tanks to collect rainwater from the roof |
June 2024 |
Gamlingay Leisure (Community Gym & MUGA) |
£1,750 |
Replacement chest press |
June 2024 |
Cambridge Online |
£2,000 |
Refurbished laptops, tablets, and reconditioned telephones for those in need.
|
April 2024 |
Little Shelford Cricket Club (LSCC) |
£1,989.94 |
Cricket cage/net to benefit all playing members of the club |
April 2024 |
Bar Hill Community Association |
£1,806.74 |
After-school club, based on the First Lego League. STEM Coaching |
April 2024
|
1st Hardwick and Highfields Scout Group |
£2,000 |
Improvements to the insulation and durability of the Scout hut |
April 2024 |
Bar Hill Memorial Garden Project |
£2,000 |
Replacement of 72 Upright sleepers in the Memorial Garden |
March 2024 |
Hope Against Poverty CIC |
£2,000 |
Shelving for Mobile Food Van |
March 2024 |
Reach Community Projects |
£2,000 |
Assisting people with applications for benefits & food vouchers |
March 2024 |
Cambourne Church - Harbour Project |
£425.00 |
Training for volunteers who will offer bereavement counselling to all via the new Bereavement Café |
March 2024 |
Carlton Parish Council |
£681.90 |
Purchase of 2 heavy duty garden benches |
March 2024 |
Linton Community Quilt |
£593.98 |
Provide craft equipment for the Crafty Café sessions |
March 2024 |
Fowlmere Recreation Ground and Village Hall |
£2,000 |
Remote control blinds to cover to block out sunlight and keep warmth in during winter |
March 2024 |
The George Long Charity for Swavesey Memorial Hall |
£876 |
Replace old curtains with new fire-retardant ones |
February 2024 |
1st Cambourne Scout Group |
₤2,000
|
Replace old tents and other camping equipment |
February 2024 |
Girton Local Nature Recovery Plan Group
|
₤2,000
|
Restoration of the Alice Hibbert-Ware Memorial Garden in Girton |
February 2024 |
CamCare UK Cambourne
|
₤2,000
|
CambSat space project aimed at secondary school age children |
February 2024 |
Hardwick Pre-School
|
₤2,000
|
Improvements to the outside area giving the children a better outdoor space |
January 2024 |
St Nicholas Church Parochial Church Council Great Wilbraham
|
₤2,000
|
Secure shed made from recyclable steel to house grass mower |
January 2024 |
Litlington Parish Council
|
£531.00 |
Community Led Plan
|
November 2023 |
Waterbeach and Landbeach Action for Youth |
£2,000 |
Cooking project using ‘waste food’ showing how to make nutritious and low-cost food |
October 2023 |
Active with Parkinson's Cambs
|
£2,000
|
Start-up costs for a seated exercise classes for people with Parkinson’s disease |
October 2023 |
Melbourn Community Hub Management Group |
£2,000
|
To improve and upgrade the external spaces around the Melbourn Hub |
September 2023 |
Sawston Youth Group
|
£1,731.58
|
Laser tag and nerf gun equipment for the group
|
September 2023 |
Sew Positive
|
£2,000
|
Community Workshops |
September 2023 |
Emmaus Cambridge
|
£1,800.00
|
Mobile gym sessions for residents |
September 2023 |
Brainstrust
|
£500
|
Funding towards Bass belle 10 Miler in Bassingbourn |
August 2023 |
Huntingdon & Northstowe Hockey Club |
£1,981.75
|
Safety and training equipment |
August 2023 |
The Farmland Museum
|
£1,798.80
|
New fridge for Café
|
August 2023 |
Marvell Green Management Company
|
£2,000
|
The enhancement of an existing wildlife corridor |
August 2023 |
Swavesey Spartans Football Club
|
£2,000
|
Substitutes Bench for the 3G pitch |
August 2023 |
Gamlingay School's Out Club
|
£500
|
Commercial gazebo and leg weights for use at children’s summer club.
|
August 2023 |
Cambourne Town Football Club
|
£1,143.96
|
Start-up costs for a community football kit exchange |
August 2023 |
Abington Village Institute
|
£2,000
|
Replacement of outdoor decking |
August 2023 |
Milton Outdoor Bowls Club
|
£520
|
Bowls Gatherers |
August 2023 |
1st Comberton Scout Group
|
£2,000
|
Replacement storage container |
July 2023 |
Bar Hill Village Hall
|
£2,000
|
To replace the existing hall floor
|
July 2023 |
The Well-brahams
|
£1,300
|
Multisport and mindfulness sessions for children aged 4- 11 |
July 2023 |
Cottenham Community Centre |
£250
|
Materials for the Knit & Natter group |
July 2023 |
EDGE Community Youth Club
|
£1,092.24
|
Craft equipment to enhance and encourage safe space conversations |
July 2023 |
Swavesey Parish Council
|
£329.71
|
Biodiversity project for 5 large, raised planters to create a community garden |
June 2023 |
Great Chishill Windmill Trust CIO
|
£2,000
|
To purchase and install an additional picnic table and bench |
June 2023 |
The Papworth Team Ministry
|
£600
|
Summer Club for senior citizens |
June 2023 |
Cambridge Open Art Exhibition
|
£1,880.09
|
Display boards and display equipment |
June 2023 |
Melbourn Dynamos Football Club
|
£2,000
|
Two sets of metal goals, first aid kits and a quantity of match balls.
|
June 2023 |
Fowlmere Community Led Plan
|
£2,000
|
To undertake a community wide survey
|
June 2023 |
Cottenham United Colts FC
|
£2,000
|
11v11 set of goals. |
For further information please see our Community-Led Plan toolkit page or email us on community.chest@scambs.gov.uk