HPC Community Fund: Active Spaces

Funding can support: 

• Capital works within community assets, including general repairs and improvements, accessibility improvements and energy efficiency measures 

• Activity delivery, such as equipment, staff time, volunteer expenses and pilot projects 

• Funder Plus element offering assistance on asset ownership, governance, business planning, capital project management and long-term sustainability

This programme has been designed to specifically support community owned buildings and assets, including but not limited to: 

• Community centres 

• Village halls 

• Churches (we can’t support repairs to the fabric of the building, but we can support improvements to making the building more accessible) 

• Parks 

• Community owned enterprises including shops and pubs 

We can only consider your group for a grant from this fund if you meet our minimum standards and need money for an area impacted by HPC.  

Our minimum standards cover things like:  

• the types of groups we can give a grant to and how we expect them to be run  

• how we expect groups to manage their finances  

• how groups keep people safe  

All of our minimum standards are on our Frequently Asked Questions page, where you can find lots of information about applying for funding. Please ensure you check your group’s eligibility before applying, as it will save you time if you’re not eligible. If you’re not sure, please contact us.  

If your group is a Community Interest Company (CIC) or unincorporated it is particularly important that you check the minimum standards information before applying.  

This fund is open all year round. There are 4 deadlines during the year.  

Unfortunately, we can’t give funding to every group that applies.  

We have around £350,000 to give out from the fund this year. Across our programmes, we’re usually able to support 2 out of every 3 applications we receive.  

We also have a pot of money available to support your group to run well, alongside a grant which we will discuss with you  if  appropriate.   

We’re more likely to give you money if your project is:  

• working in communities that have experienced bigger impacts from Hinkley Point C  

• supported by many people in the wider community  

• clearly addressing the impacts of HPC, or making the most of the opportunities it creates  

• working closely with other organisations to increase impact and reduce duplication  

• offering good value for money  

We will also consider whether your community asset has received funding through the programme before.  

The Socio-Economic Advisory Group (SEAG) monitors a set of core indicators relating to the building of Hinkley Point C. These are reported to the government, stakeholders and investors. The data included in these reports can be a useful tool when applying to the HPC Community Fund. 

Your application will be assessed by one of our team. They’ll read through what you have written, look at your supporting documents and check places like the Charity Commission and your website. Following your submission, one of the team will get in touch to have a meeting with you to go through your application. These are to help get a better understanding of your organisation – ready to present your application to the HPC Community Fund Panel. We will share questions with you beforehand.   

Please note, if your group isn’t eligible, you won’t be funded. So please  check this first.  

We will then make a recommendation, and a panel will make the final decision. The panel is made up of people from SCF, Somerset Council and EDF, as well as independent community members. 

When we assess your application, we look at a number of different things. For example: 

Community need 

• A local village hall is used by a wide range of community groups every week, including a toddler group, a lunch club for older people and a youth club. Steeply rising energy prices are putting real pressure on the hall’s finances, and its ageing heating system and poor insulation mean a lot of that money is being wasted heating an inefficient building

• The hall committee know that keeping the space warm, comfortable and affordable to hire is essential to community life, especially as the area has seen more people move in near Hinkley Point C and along the park-and-ride route, with new residents getting to know the community through groups that meet at the hall

• Without support, the committee may have to cut opening hours or increase hire costs, which would affect every group that relies on the hall

Community benefits 

• The committee have spoken to local residents, hirers and the parish council about the challenges they’re facing. They agree that losing hours or activities at the hall would be a real loss to community life, particularly for the groups supporting older people and young families

• The committee’s plan is to improve the hall’s insulation, replace the old heating system and switch to LED lighting throughout, cutting running costs and keeping the building usable all year round

• The hall applies for funding to pay for these improvements, to protect the wide range of services it hosts and keep the space affordable for everyone who depends on it

Community priorities 

• The village hall has been part of the community for many years, and the parish council sees it as vital local infrastructure. A local councillor supports the project and has written a letter of support, describing how the hall serves a growing and changing population and how rising running costs threaten its future. The parish council has also contributed funding towards the project, to show how much it’s valued

• The hall is in regular contact with the groups that use it, including the toddler group, the lunch club and the youth club, several of which have written letters supporting the application

Governance and delivery 

• The village hall has been run by a volunteer management committee for over 20 years. The committee has previously delivered improvement projects, including a new roof and an accessible toilet, showing they can manage capital projects successfully

• The hall has a strong safeguarding policy, helping keep the children, young people and vulnerable adults who use the building safe

• The hall’s current booking system is clunky and time-consuming for both the committee and hirers, making it harder to manage the space efficiently. The committee would like to draw on funder plus support to explore better options, with part of the grant covering the cost of a new system for its first 12 months – helping them run the hall more efficiently and sustainably in the long term. 

• The project plan sets out clear timescales and expected outcomes, including the reduction in energy use the improvements should achieve

• The committee represents a good cross-section of the local community, and the hall has good financial controls and record keeping in place

Value for money 

• The plan sets out the full costs involved, including materials, installation and a contingency for unexpected costs

• The hall has already secured funding from other sources, including a fundraising event run by committee members and a grant from another funder, showing strong local commitment to the project

Legacy 

• A warmer, more efficient hall means lower running costs for years to come, keeping the space affordable and available to the wide range of groups who rely on it – supporting community connection and wellbeing long after the project is finished

The next step is to fill in our enquiry form. 

Click on the ‘Enquire Now’ button and you’ll be asked to register your email address. You’ll then be sent an email with a link to our enquiry form. You can save your progress by clicking ‘Save As Draft’ at the end. The link in the email allows you to return to the form.  

You need to click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the form to send your completed form to us. Your enquiry will be reviewed by the HPC Community Fund Programmes Manager and they will be in touch to discuss your project and the application process.