Mendip to dish out £200,000 to community projects

APPLICATIONS are now open for Mendip District Council’s Local legacy Fund, which will donate nearly a quarter of a million pounds to projects in the area.

Last year a whopping  £43,000 went to community projects in Frome with £5,000 being awarded to Frome St John The Baptist PCC, £10,000 to Frome Selwood Tennis Club, and £28,000 to Frome Football Club.

Applications to the council’s Local Legacy Fund are for projects costing over £5,000 and can come from a range of groups – community and voluntary organisations, parish and town councils, village halls, social interest groups and community interest businesses.

Projects need to meet at least one of the council’s strategic priorities; they must either add to community health and wellbeing; create educational, training or work opportunities for the community; or improve the quality of life of the community.

The maximum money available for a project is £30,000.

A Mendip spokesperson said, “The intention is to make the application process as simple as possible, while ensuring that money distributed through the fund is properly managed and accounted for.

“We are keen to encourage applications from groups who have not applied before. Applicants will have to make a business case and also show where, if necessary, additional funding would come from for their proposed project.”

Applications open on Monday 20th July and the first awards are due to be made by the end of the year. Application packs outlining the criteria are available from the council’s website www.mendip.gov.uk/communityfunding

Organisations can apply online or can request an application form by contacting Sally Gubb on 01749 341411 or sally.gubb@mendip.gov.uk  From 30th July, please contact Rob Spraggon on 07980 666142 or rob.spraggon@mendip.gov.uk

The deadline for applications is Friday 16th October.