This grant programme is currently closed.
However, you can view previous grant guidelines below. Please note, these grant guidelines may change when/if the programme reopens to applications. Please make sure you read the new guidelines before you submit your grant application.
Ask us for £1,000 if you work or volunteer at a community venue towards the cost of staying open longer this winter to offer a warm place for people experiencing fuel poverty.
We would expect you to extend your opening times by 5 or 6 hours a week over the colder months.
When can I apply for this money?
You can ask us for this money from Monday 9 October.
You must submit your application by 5pm, Friday 10 November. We won’t look at your application if it arrives after that time.
Who can apply for this money?
You can only apply if you work or volunteer for a group that:
- is based in Somerset (but not BANES or North Somerset)
- runs a venue, like a village hall, community centre, or religious building
- has a safeguarding policy that meets our requirements (click here for more information)
- has spoken to other groups in your area and agreed you are best placed to become or continue as a ‘warm space’.
We want to give money to groups that support people in their local community. This means we can award money to groups that are not registered charities. But everything we support must be charitable.
If the best venue in your community is a commercial premises, then we can consider awarding you some money. This might include a pub or café. Please contact us first if this is the case.
We won’t support you if your group has more than one year’s running costs in the bank, unless you can explain why.
What can I use this money for?
You can only use this money to pay for the extra costs of staying open longer this winter. These could include:
- extra energy costs
- some staff time or volunteer expenses
- buying some tea and biscuits, for example.
We would expect you to use this money to extend your opening times by 5 or 6 hours a week throughout the colder months.
We cannot award you this money to pay for your existing costs.
Do we have to pay you back?
You don’t have to pay this money back to us or anyone else. We call this type of funding a grant.
How likely is it that my group will get some money?
We have up to £40,000 available to give out. We won’t have enough to support everyone.
We’re more likely to give you some money if your group:
- has spoken to other groups in your area and agreed you are best placed to become a ‘warm space’
- works in a more deprived urban area or a more remote rural community.
Do I have to write a report if you give me some money?
You need to spend your money within 6 months and send us a short report. You need to complete the report online and it will look like the application form. We ask you to tell us how you spent the money, what difference it made, and if you had any problems.
How do I apply?
You can apply by filling out a short online application form via this link or on the ‘click here to apply’ box at the bottom of this page. This takes you to a registration page where you’ll need to enter your email address.
You don’t have to complete the form in one go. Instead, you can complete some sections then click ‘save draft’ at the bottom of the page. Use the link in your email to return to the form at another time.
You also need to attach the following documents alongside your application:
- a bank statement from within the last three months. This can be a scanned paper statement, or a copy downloaded from an online account. We need to see the bank name, your group’s name, the address where statements go, the account number and the sort code. You may redact transactions if needed.
- your safeguarding policy
- your governing document
- list of your management committee members, trustees or directors
If you are aware that we hold the most recent copies of the above documents, you do not need to submit these again. If you are unsure what documents we hold copies of please contact us by emailing info@somersetcf.org.uk
Finally, you must read the terms and conditions and click ‘submit’.
Please contact us if you can’t use the online form, or you are unable to attach any of the documents. We’ll support you to make your application in another way.
What does Somerset Community Foundation do with my application?
You’ll receive an automatic email once you’ve submitted your application. This will include a copy of your application for your records. If you don’t receive this email then let us know.
A member of our Grants Team will look at your application. We’ll speak to partners like the Community Council for Somerset, Spark Somerset or the Somerset Diverse Communities Team if we need to understand more about your work. If we still have a question, then we’ll contact you. And if your group is new, then we may ask for a referee.
The Grants Team then take all the applications received to our Grants Panel. The Panel is a group of volunteers who have a wide range of skills and experiences. They will make the final decision on your application. They’ll consider:
- if you meet the criteria for the fund (rules)
- if you meet any of the priorities for the fund (interests)
- your group’s finances, governance and safeguarding arrangements
- how well you have explained what you would do with the money
- whether this offers good value for money
- how you work with other groups to avoid doing the same thing twice
- how well you have reported on any previous money we gave you.
Need help applying for this money?
You can call or email our Grants Team if you have a question, or if you are not sure if this is the right place to apply for money.
Call us on 01749 344949 and ask to speak to Peter or Kirsty in the Grants Team (Option 5) or email the team at info@somersetcf.org.uk. Please let us know your enquiry is about Warm Spaces.
