Submissions open for Rural Development Fund Programme (United Kingdom)

Funding Information 

• Grants of up to £2000 are available.

Eligible Projects

• Your project must meet must the following aims:
  • Groups should be working towards encouraging and developing rural community life.
  • To strengthen communities and tackling issues faced by rural communities
  • If awarded a grant it should make a visible difference to the project.

Eligible Costs 

• Their grant should make a substantial difference to the project in question
• Normally the panel would expect a group to make a mandatory or in kind contribution to the project
• Their grant should deliver value for money
• Their grant should secure maximum community use or benefit
• They would prefer to fund equipment or training costs and  one off or annual events, as opposed to running costs for groups although this is not excluded
• The panel would like to see a group demonstrate that their project could be sustainable after funding ends.

Ineligible Costs 

• Projects that upgrade premises or equipment to meet legislative requirements
• Projects that should be funded by a statutory authority
• Solely commercial ventures
• Party political activity
• Activity promoting religion or with a strong religious undertone, but religious groups running community projects will be considered
• Staff costs or costs associated with staff
• The reimbursement of costs, (for goods or services bought or ordered before the official start date of the grant)
• Any costs you incur when putting in your application
• Loans or interest payments or endowments
• Vehicles
• Food or meals.

Eligibility Criteria

• This programme is able to consider applications from:
  • Constituted community groups
  • Constituted voluntary groups
  • Registered Charities
  • Social Enterprises
  • Priority will be given to groups with an annual income should be less than £30,000
  • You should have reserves of less than 1 years income.

Ineligibility Criteria

• This programme is not able to offer funding to:
  • Statutory organisations, including Schools, Police, Health authorities and Local Authorities, (but Parish and Town Councils will be considered)
  • Any national organisation based in Staffordshire.

For more information, visit Community Foundation for Staffordshire.