New Forest Leader

Community groups - How to apply

Who can apply for community grants?

Those businesses, social enterprises, charities and other formally constituted groups in the project area who are involved in the development or management of community facilities

Your project must contribute towards the New Forest Local Development Strategy community objective which is:
"To provide support for rural communities to provide sustainable community facilities and essential community services"

You must be able to demonstrate that the facility/activity is accessible to the wider community

What is eligible for funding
The following are examples of the types of activity which can be funded by RDPE (Leader) grants

Equipment needed for the development of community shops / retail services

Sustainability improvements to community buildings e.g. energy efficiency improvements, water recycling, renewable energy installations.

Improvements to green spaces

Community renewable energy schemes e.g. district heating systems

Community composting schemes

ICT for community benefit

What is not eligible for funding?

Activities outside the LEADER funding area

Playgrounds – (other funding sources are available for this – if you are within the New Forest contact the New Forest National Park Authority's External Funding Officer

Revenue costs unrelated to the development of community facilities (i.e. staff salaries, on-going project costs etc)

Activities which do not have a clear 'community' focus i.e. those facilities solely for the use of a particular group or club.

Facilities which do not directly benefit the New Forest's rural communities

How much grant can we apply for?
You can apply for a minimum grant of £2,000 up to a maximum of £50,000.
However community groups will be required to provide their own 'match funding' alongside the RDPE (Leader) grant. Up to 40% of this match-funding can be from public sector sources (this includes the National Lottery) and we may ask your group to find the remaining 10%. This might come from your groups own resources, fundraising, sponsorship from a business etc.

Our funding comes from the Rural Development Programme for England RDPE (Leader)

How do we apply?
The information above will help you to decide if your group and proposed project is eligible for funding from LEADER.

If you think it is eligible, you should complete the Expression of Interest Form (E of I) for Community Groups. These are the first stage in the application process and allow our grant appraisal panel, the Local Action Group, to decide if your project proposal meets the criteria for the grant before you have completed the more detailed application form.

You will be given feedback on your E of I and advice as to whether you should proceed to the next stage of completing the full application form.

The full application will need to be supported by a business plan, architects plans, cash flow projections etc as appropriate and further guidance will be given on this.