Ramsey Community Benefit Fund Criteria

Fund Overview

The Ramsey Wind Farm is committed to providing a community benefit fund of £40,000 for community projects. The Fund will allow groups to apply for grants between £250 and £20,000.

There will be one application round each year. In the unlikely event that not all the Funding is allocated, a second application closing date may be established approximately 6 months later. This will clearly state how much funding remains to be allocated.

Groups are encouraged to plan well ahead and assume there will not be a second round to apply to in the same year. This is particularly relevant if the project is an event, for example, which may not happen for several months after the application deadline.

Project locations

Projects for which grants are requested must be located in the Parish boundaries of Ramsey, Bury, Upwood and the Raveleys. The Fund will notionally be split as follows: 60% allocated to applications from Ramsey, 20% each allocated to applications from Bury, Upwood and the Raveleys.

We are keen to allocate the full £40,000 every year to worthwhile community projects. Therefore, if insufficient applications are received from any one of the three funding areas, the balance of any unallocated money will be made available to other applications.

Project Purpose

The Fund is open to any community project which is for the benefit of residents of the local area. This Fund can provide both capital and revenue grants.

Eligible Organisations

Eligible Organisations, who can apply for funding include:

• Charities / voluntary, community groups
• Town and Parish Councils
• Schools and educational establishments
• Social Enterprises and Community Interest Companies operating on a non-profit-distributing basis. These are defined by Social Enterprise UK as ‘businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people’s life chances, or the environment. They make their money from selling goods and services in the open market, but they reinvest their profits back into the business or the local community’.
  These organisations must have a minimum of three unrelated Directors, that also do not reside at the same address.

Applicants are required to have a written constitution, a set of rules, or a governing document and a bank or building society account, held in the name of the organisation, in place before applying for a grant.

Applicants can apply for further grants each year.  However, they may not receive priority over organisations that have previously been turned away or those who are applying for the first time.

Groups can receive consecutive annual grants for up to three years, but then there will need to be a break in funding (i.e. the group is not eligible to apply for a further grant in year four, but can then re-apply again in year five). This is to ensure groups don’t become reliant on the same source of funding and need to consider other forms of income generation.

Exclusions

Grants will not be available for:

• Commercial organisations.
• Private membership-based sports clubs and facilities unless membership is open to the general public without undue restriction (e.g. not membership by nomination organisations).
• Projects that only benefit one individual (unless the application is received from an organisation and the project directly benefits individuals, e.g. energy saving measures such as insulation)
• Projects that are narrowly religious in focus or that support a party political campaign or cause.
• Funding core costs in organisations, e.g. running costs, administration costs, building rental costs etc.
• Retrospective funding (i.e. funding can only be requested for works that will begin / expenditure that will be incurred AFTER our funding decision has been made and a formal grant Contract issued)
• Works considered a statutory responsibility, such as scheduled transport services, works to public highways and public car parks.

Judging Criteria

The main criteria used when assessing applications received will be:

• The social, economic and environmental benefits which will result from the project.
• The level of community support for and involvement in the project.

Other factors will also be considered which must be demonstrated in the application:

• The ability of the applicant to deliver the project
• How the work will be continued after the project has been completed i.e. its sustainability and legacy.
• Value for money.

If, after reading the above, you are confident that your project meets the criteria, please click Next, below: