The Aviva Community Fund is a competition which community projects can enter, to be in with a chance of funding.

There are 200 prizes of £1000 each on offer to the projects which receive the most votes.

To enter this level of the competition:

• your organisation must have an annual income below £100,000, and have existed for at least 6 months
• your project must create a change that positively impacts the local community, through for example specific purchases, activities or the running costs of a programme

The competition opens on 13th September 2016, and entries must be submitted before noon on 11th October 2016. Your entry can include photographs and a video, to make the maximum impact on the voting public.

Voting takes place between 21st October and 18th November. Each person has 10 votes. The 200 projects with the most votes will receive £1000 each, to be spent during 2017.

For larger organisations, there are also larger amounts of funding available, but there is a longer process to go through, and fewer awards available.

For full details of the competition, see the Aviva Community Fund website: http://www.aviva.co.uk/good-thinking/community-fund/

The Inter Faith Youth Trust has a Small Grants Programme for events organised by and for young people focused around Inter Faith Week 13-20 November 2016

The Trust will be awarding small grants up to £500.00 for organisations running events or projects connected with Inter Faith Week 2016

Grants are awarded for proposals for inter-faith activities by children and young people from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and other faiths and those of no formal faith in understanding and co-operation. The age range for young people is 11-25 years.

Priority will be given to projects which:

• Actively involve young people in planning, running, and evaluation of the project.
• Promote positive action i.e. young people from different backgrounds coming together to address shared problems like improving green spaces.
• Are run by non-statutory organisations, such as youth clubs, scout/guide groups, local voluntary and community organisations.

Grants can provide part-funding. Grants are not available for converting young people to a different faith.
Grants are given only to UK based organisations and are given for the agreed purposes set out in the completed grant application form. Grants are for use in accordance with the Trust’s charitable objectives. The Inter Faith Youth Trust as funder takes no responsibility for carrying out the work.

You can download the application form from the Trust’s website: http://www.ifyouthtrust.org.uk/?page_id=8

Completed applications must be received by email by Friday 9^th September 2016  

East Brighton Trust offer small grants for community groups which benefit residents of East Brighton.

In future these grants will be adminstered via Sussex Community Foundation. The application process has changed, but the grants are still available to groups in East Brighton.

Your group can still apply for an East Brighton Trust grant, even if you have received a Sussex Community Foundation grant this year.

For more information see our Favourite Funders page.

• Do you have a good idea for a community-university partnership project?
• Do your ideas involve working with communities, projects or academics local to University of Brighton campuses?
• Do you need some seed funding to kick-start co-working?

Cupp seed funding aims to support the development of partnerships between academic staff and community organisations that will work together on a topic of mutual interest.  This fund supports work across our campus areas of Brighton, Eastbourne & Hastings.

Up to £5000 is available per project and Cupp can offer you support to develop partnerships, project ideas and your application.  For further information visit the Cupp website, where you can download a copy of the guidance notes and learn more about eligibility and the criteria – or call 01273 643004 to talk to one of the team about your ideas.

The deadline for applications is the 23rd May 2016, and successful projects would be expected to start by October 2016.

You need to call Cupp to discuss your ideas before putting in an application.

The second round of funding for the Tesco Bags of Help scheme will open for applications on 18 April 2016 and close on 3rd June.

Bags of Help is administered by Groundwork and funded by Tesco customers from the proceeds of the 5p charge for plastic carrier bags.
The scheme is open to community groups across England, Wales and Scotland to apply for grants of £8,000, £10,000 and £12,000 to improve local green space.

Online applications will be accepted from a wide range of organisations including: voluntary/community organisations, registered charities, schools, health bodies, Parish/Town councils, social enterprises, Community Interest Companies, community councils, local authorities and housing organisations. Other not-for-profit organisations might also be eligible.

The scheme funds capital projects that provide community benefit and where there is no charge to access. Projects that will get the green light as a result of the funding will include:

• Green corridors – river and canals, cycle ways

• Parks, pocket parks and urban green spaces

• Formal and informal play areas

• Open access sports facilities within public parks and recreation grounds

• Informal outdoor recreation facilities; e.g. gym equipment, trim trails and woodland walks

• Nature reserves, community woodland, ponds and village greens

• Churchyards

• Seafront improvements

• Community allotments, community gardens, orchards and city farms

• Spaces in the grounds of hospices and day centres

• Allotments

• School grounds

• Community spaces on housing estates or residential areas

There is no match funding requirement to access this funding but the grant should be the majority of the funding required for the project. All projects will need to be completed within twelve months of receipt of the grant. Additionally, landowner’s permission is essential and some projects may need planning permission.

Tesco customers will be able to cast their vote on which shortlisted project in their area they would like to see receive the top grant from 1 October 2016.

To find out more go to: www.groundwork.org.uk/tescobagsofhelp<http://www.groundwork.org.uk/tescobagsofhelp>

Groups with annual incomes below £35,000 can now apply for funding from Brighton & Hove Council’s five annual grant schemes, for activities in 2016-17:

• Annual grants for smaller organisations
• Environmental sustainability grants
• Arts partnership awards
• Community festivals grants
• Hedgcock Bequest

There will be three deadlines in 2016: 15th April, 8th July and 14th October. Forms and guidance are available to download from the council’s website.

Funding for participation in the Pride festival is not yet confirmed, but is expected to be available later in the year.