Funding for buildings - news from the Big Lottery Fund

Are you involved in the management of a community building? Now may be a good time to apply for a Lottery grant.

The Reaching Communities grants programme has funds available for capital projects on community buildings.  If your hall or community centre needs some refurbishment work then you might like to conisder applying for a Lottery grant.  There are two levels of application, depending on how much money you need:

• The small capital programme for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000
  
• The Reaching Communities buildings programme for grants from £100,000 to £500,000

The small capital programme is open to organisations across England, with the total project cost being no more than £200,000.  The buildings programme is restricted to the most deprived parts of England, with the majority of Hampshire not being eligible (although the rules have been relaxed slightly in late 2011).  See the Big Lottery Fund website for full details or call the advice line on 0845 4 10 20 30.

Focus on outcomes

With all applications for Lottery grants, you must keep two key issues in mind: the need that your work will address and the positive outcomes that will be achieved.  So for building refurbishment applications, it isn't enough to explain how a Lottery grant would help you carry out important work on your hall.  You must demonstrate that local people need the hall to be refurbished and also that the work will improve the quality of life for local people. 

This may entail something of a shift in mindset for some people who run community buildings.  But bear in mind that grant applications are always competitive, with your work being assessed alongside other projects of a very different nature (especially with broad-based grant schemes like Reaching Communities).  You need to show that your work will offer value for money in terms of 'buying' the best outcomes for people.

Do call the Big Lottery Fund advice line on 0845 4 10 20 30 for more guidance on outcomes, and Hampshire village hall representatives can contact Kevin Sawers, CAH's Village Halls Adviser, on 01962 857358 or by email.