Blackdown Hills Transition Group’s community fund
Do you have an idea for a small project which could benefit your local community and the environment? Blackdown Hills Transition Group may be able support you with a small amount of money.
Background
Our repair cafés and apple days have become popular events in the Blackdown Hills’ calendar, helping us to reduce waste and make the most of our local resources. They’re also wonderful social occasions giving us opportunities to come together as a community.
We are tremendously grateful of the many volunteers who give up their time to make these events such a success and to those who have so generously donated.
Over time, through your donations, we have built up a reasonable sum of money. So, while maintaining a contingency fund for future events, we plan to use additional donations to invest in projects that support sustainability and the environment and give something back to the communities who have so loyally supported us.
The fund
Projects can apply for up to £250 to cover the cost of materials, tools, venue hire, staff time, printing costs, etc. relevant to the project.
Each year, we plan to recommend the type of projects we are seeking. For 2020 our suggestions are:
- Planting a community or school orchard or vegetable patch.
- Planting and maintaining a wildflower verge. (For advice see Devon’s Life on the Verge).
- Running a home-based repair activity in conjunction with Blackdown Hills Support Group
- Running a workshop to teach participants repair skills. If children are involved, parents must be present.
- Setting up a new repair café somewhere other than Hemyock in the Blackdown Hills.
- Publishing groups of local children’s stories about climate change
However, if you have an idea for a project that doesn’t fit one of these suggestions, please feel free to get in touch with us to discuss it.
Funding criteria
- Projects must have a clear benefit to the local community and/or the environment.
- We welcome applications from members of the Blackdown Hills community, including parish councils, schools, and repair café repairers and helpers.
- All applicants must be either known to the Blackdown Hills Transition Group, repair café or apple day organisers or be able to provide a reference.
- On completion of the project, recipients of the fund must provide a summary of expenditure, and written report of 250 to 500 words to summarise their project, including:
- What was the aim of the project?
- Where was the activity carried out?
- What did you do?
- Who was involved?
- What was the outcome?
- How has the project benefited the local community and/or the environment?
- Recipients of the fund must provide at least two photographs to illustrate the project with the photographer credited and permission obtained from any people in the photographs for us (the Blackdown Hills Transition Group) to use for publicity purposes.
- Blackdown Hills Transition Group must be recognised for the funding in a manner appropriate to the project, for example a plaque in an orchard or a credit in a book.
To apply
The deadline for applications is Friday 7 February 2020.
Please submit a summary of what you plan to achieve with your project (250 to 500 words – A4 sheet of paper) including:
- The name of the project
- What is the aim of the project?
- What do you plan to do?
- Who will be involved? (e.g. staff, volunteers, participants, schools, organisations)
- How will this project benefit the local community and/or the environment?
- How do you plan to recognise the Blackdown Hills Transition Group?
- Your contact details, including your name, email and phone number and any organisations/ community groups involved in the project.
Please email your proposal to: blackdownhillstransitiongroup@gmail.com
The Blackdown Hills Transition Group’s committee is due to meet on 19 February to decide which projects will be funded and we will let applicants know the outcome shortly thereafter.
Additional matched funding
It is worth bearing in mind that you may be able to apply for additional funding through a variety of grant schemes, using the Blackdown Hills Transition Group’s Community Fund as matched funding. Where this is possible, we very much encourage you to do this so that you can maximise the impact of the funds you receive from Blackdown Hills Transition Group.
Blackdown Hills AONB website has some useful tips on where you could find additional funding to support your project: www.blackdownhillsaonb.org.uk/funding