More on community grants
So, you’re ready to find out a bit more about our community grants! Great news! We’ll walk you through the process on this page, answer some FAQs and there’s a link to the application form too.
In short, our grants will be for Yorkshire Housing customers, local charities and community groups wanting to make positive things happen in their community!
Your project or activity should:
- Be locally-led and based in Yorkshire
- Benefit the local community
- Involve or be accessible to Yorkshire Housing customers (If you’re not sure about this one, drop us an email with your potential delivery area/ postcode and we’ll be happy to help you)
We’re really looking for projects or activities that’ll benefit Yorkshire Housing customers, but we’ll also consider other projects if they have economic, social or environmental benefits. That might be projects like digital skills sessions, social groups, community food projects, support groups or sustainable community gardens.
FAQs
You’ll need a community or club/society bank account if you want the grant to be transferred into an account. We‘ll ask for separate proof of your bank details along with your grant application. Just so you know, we don’t pay grants into individual accounts.
If your group doesn’t have a bank account, we can buy what you need instead.
It can pay for things like:
- Equipment and materials
- Training courses
- Food
- Volunteer expenses
- Venue costs
- Transport
Please shop around to find the best value when you’re spending the grant money. And, for any individual items over £200, we’ll need you to share a quote or link in the application process.
The grant can’t pay for:
- Alcohol
- Activities that promote a particular political or religious point of view. However, groups that are based in a religious building can apply, as long as the activity or project is open to everyone in the community. Please get in touch with us if you’re not sure and we can let you know.
- Profit-making activities
- Salaries for paid workers unless you’re hiring a tutor to lead a specific activity or have agreed it in advance with our team
- Activities or projects that have already taken place or costs you’ve already incurred.
If you’re not sure the grant will cover what you need, just get in touch and we’ll be happy to help you.
It’s easy! Head to our online application form and fill it out. Or, if you’d rather a Word copy – email our team who can send you a copy.
Once you’ve sent us your application, we’ll check it against the criteria on this page, like what you can and can't spend grants on and if your project or activity meets the bullet points in the intro. It’ll then be viewed and scored by a panel, which could include Yorkshire Housing customers as well as our colleagues.
We’ll aim to get back to you with a decision within four weeks of you applying. And, you’ll hear from us whatever the outcome of the decision.
If it meets the criteria and we decide to award you a grant, we’ll let you know and ask for proof of your bank details so we can pay the grant by BACs transfer within two weeks. If there’s no group account then we’ll talk to you about buying the items you need for you.
If you’ve been successful in getting a community grant, you can apply for another in the next financial year (April – March).
If you’ve been awarded less than £1,000, we might consider a second application from you in the same financial year but get in touch first to talk about your new project before applying.
Of course! If you’ve got any questions or need some help with the application, just drop us an email and we’ll be happy to help you.
Promoting your event or activity
If you need any help or support around promoting your activity either with Yorkshire Housing customers or to the wider community, we can help you with this too.
After you’re awarded the grant, one of our community independence officers will get in touch. They’ll be your main contact throughout the grant period, and if you need any other support, they’ll be able to help or can point you in the right direction.
Sharing the difference it’s made
As part of your grant, we’ll ask you to complete a short ‘end of grant’ evaluation. The questions are all set out for you and ask things like what you spent and what difference it’s made to your organisation and local community.
We’d love to shout about the positive changes your project or activity has made and share that on with our colleagues and on our website or social media channels. We’ll ask your permission of course before we do this.
You’ll need to complete the evaluation within four weeks of the activity finishing or of the money being spent. If you need any help, your community independence officer will be happy to support.
Just so you know, if you don’t complete it, you won’t be able to apply for any more funding from us at Yorkshire Housing.
Are you ready to apply?
If you've read all the info and you're ready to apply, fill out our form to get the ball rolling!
