HPC Community Fund Small Grants

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.

You can also use our eligibility checker which will help you understand if you can apply for a grant from us.

This fund is open all year round. There are 6 deadlines during the year.

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

We have around £200,000 to give out from the fund this year. We’re usually able to support 2 out of every 3 applications we receive.

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

• 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 make sure everyone can benefit
• offering good value for money
• thinking about what will happen after the funding ends.

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. We may contact you if we have any questions.

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

Community Need

• A small sports club noticed the local population has grown and people new to the area are unfamiliar with the community. The club believes this population rise is because they are based near Hinkley Point C, on the route for the park-and-ride.
• They know sport has been shown to bring people together and form good relationships in communities. But their facilities are old and unattractive and people are travelling to other clubs instead.
• The club applies for funding to refurbish their facilities. They want this to make their club more attractive to local people and help create a better community spirit.

Community Benefits

• The sports club noticed that traffic had increased through the village. This was backed up in a parish council meeting, where members of the public raised concerns about the impact on the village. The club members have also had conversations with their neighbours and friends, who say their journey to other sports facilities has been affected by the increased traffic.
• The club’s plan is to offer more attractive local facilities, which they hope will bring the local population back to the club. In turn, this will reduce the number of journeys made for leisure in the area, reducing traffic and contributing to the environmental and social wellbeing of the community.

Community Priorities

• The sports club has been a long-standing organisation in the village. The parish council sees it as an important place to improve people’s health and fitness. A supportive local councillor writes a letter of support for the project. They highlight how the population has grown and that the community believes this is because of HPC. The parish council has also given some funding to the club, to show how important it is to the community.
• The club is in contact with their local GP social prescribing team, which has also sent a letter to show their support for the club.

Governance and Delivery

• The sports club has been running for 10 years. The management team has successfully completed several upgrades and repairs to the facilities, demonstrating their capability to see this project through.
• The club also has a strong safeguarding policy, which helps them keep their younger members as well as vulnerable adults safe.
• The project plan has clear deadlines and timings, so any delays can be dealt with.
• There’s evidence of a strong committee which represents different members of the community.
• The club can show good financial controls and money management.

Value for money

• The plan clearly shows the costs, including several quotes for the work to be completed.
• The club has arranged funding from other sources, including a fundraising event held by members and a grant from the parish council. The planned timeline for the work is realistic and the contractor the club has selected is experienced in working on sports facilities.

Legacy

• The sports club refurbishment has an expected lifespan of 15 years. This will leave a good legacy for the HPC Community Fund in the village and provide the club with facilities that will stand the test of time.

We’ll usually 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.

You can apply if your group:

• wants to provide targeted services for children and young people, adults with mental health problems or older people
• meets our minimum standards.

The next step is to fill in our online application form.