Other Local Funders

Ampthill Town Council Grant Funding

Ampthill Town council has a small budget for community grant funding. Voluntary Organisations, Community Groups and Charities that are looking for funding for projects should contact the Town Clerk to request an application form. Contact details: Town Clerk: Dawn Sutherns. Address: Ampthill Town Council Offices, 66 Dunstable Street, Ampthill, Beds, MK45 2JS. Tel: 01525 404355. Email: d.sutherns@ampthilltowncouncil.org.uk

Grassroots Grants for Small Community Groups

What is Grassroots Grants?

The scheme offers financial support to small voluntary and community groups and organisations throughout the area, enabling them to continue or expand their work.

Who can apply for funding?

Any small, volunteer-led community group that is connected to the needs of the local community can apply for a grant, subject to some terms and conditions, including an average turnover of under £20,000 per annum (see our website for more details).

How much can you apply for?

Grants range from £250 to £5,000. £5,000 is the maximum that any one group may receive during the lifetime of the scheme (i.e. until March 31st 2011).

For which kind of projects can you apply for funding?

Grassroots Grants is looking to support community groups which can use funds to:

• Purchase equipment, such as computers, furniture etc.
• Put on a local event or workshop
• Pay for staff costs to enable the employment of individuals
• Contribute to rental costs
• Cover the cost of training or attendance at a conference or event
• Pay for additional activities that help expand an existing project
• Support community activity
• Support projects that meet an identified need in the local community
• Help a group to achieve a quality or other standard relevant to their activities
• Pay for membership of local support groups

Contact: Mark West, Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation, The Smithy, The Village, Old Warden, Beds., SG18 9HQ. Tel: 01767. E-mail: administrator@blcf.org.uk. Web site: www.blcf.org.uk/grants.  

Waitrose 'Community Matters' Funding Initiative

Waitrose in Ampthill is donating £1,000 a month to local good causes. Community projects in the town are set to benefit from £12,000 of funding this year thanks to a new initiative - Community Matters - which was launched on 19th August 2008.

Each month, Ampthill Waitrose Partners (i.e. employees) will choose three causes to benefit from a share of the supermarket's £1,000 regular donation.

Shoppers at the checkout will each be handed a green token which they can place into one of three labelled boxes at the store exit, allowing them to learn about and vote for the cause they would like to support. The more nominations a cause gets, the greater the share of the donation they will receive.

Shoppers can also join in supporting community projects by nominating causes that are important to them by simply filling in a Waitrose Community Matters leaflet at the welcome desk in the store. All types of causes such as senior citizen homes, local schools, voluntary groups, sports clubs and youth projects are poised to benefit from the scheme. Community Matters is a corporate and social responsibility initiative which will see all 190 Waitrose food shops across the UK donate money to local causes every month.

National Resources

Funding Central was launched in June 2009 and is a new free smart website for all third sector organisations, including community groups, providing access to thousands of funding and finance opportunities, plus a wealth of tools and resources supporting organisations to develop sustainable income strategies appropriate to their needs.

If you are completely or relatively new to fundraising, Funding Central provides a guided search enabling you to identify the most appropriate funding and finance opportunities that best suit you and the beneficiaries that you support. As an experienced fundraiser, you can drill down through thousands of opportunities to identify the most appropriate funding or finance for your organisation using the advanced search.

Funding Central is managed by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in partnership with j4b Software and Publishing and is funded by the Office of the Third Sector.

Website: www.fundingcentral.org.uk