Near Neighbours Grant

• Create First Encounters between people of different faith and ethnic communities and encourage the development of mutual understanding - initiatives which begin the process of developing associational life. These encounters can be key moments of transformation in a neighbourhood. Examples of this: a Diwali/Christmas event, an awayday for a two different youth groups, or a mums and daughters craft day.
• Create Everyday Interactions at the everyday level of community life by encouraging families and individuals to come together regularly to eat together, jointly participating in religious and other festivals, encouraging children to play together in a neighbourhood. Examples of this: weekly adult football training, a Saturday children’s club, or a series of joint events between two places of worship. 
• Create Civil Engagement which brings together people from different faith or ethnic communities to work together to change their neighbourhoods for the better. This will include establishing organizations and initiatives which have members of different faith communities involved. Examples of this: establishing a joint needle exchange drugs project; setting up a monthly environmental clean up group; beginning a toddler and parents group in a local centre.

These must be local initiatives planned by and involving local people from small organisations. We will not fund national organisations working locally, nor are we likely to fund local authority initiatives or schools projects. We will look especially favourably on applications from diverse neighbourhoods and those with particular issues of deprivation and challenge. 

What can grants be given for?

• Near Neighbours Grants can pay for specific activities but not for on-going revenue expenditure, existing salary costs, deficit funding, or retrospective spending. However we would consider requests for expanded hours for sessional staff such as youth workers, for a specific activity over a period of six months, for example.
• Grants should be claimed or part-claimed within three months and fully spent within 6 months of approval.
• We will invest in environmental, social, cultural, artistic and sporting ideas but they need to fulfil the criteria of bringing people together from different faiths, being local, and transformative of local communities. See the funding criteria for more guidance. 
• We will look especially favourably on small faith or community organisations with a turnover of less than £150,000.
• We recognise the importance of forming partnerships with local voluntary groups, statutory organisations and with ecumenical and inter-faith projects. The Fund is particularly pleased to receive applications from people of different faith groups or none, working in partnership with people of different faiths and within the criteria.

Funding cannot be granted to individuals.

What We Will NOT fund:

• Projects outside the areas listed above.
• Individuals
• Organisations with significant reserves. 
• Existing salary costs, except where there is a significant increase in hours in order to expand an existing project or begin new work.
• Ongoing revenue costs (core costs)
• Repeated activities (such as an annual summer camp or regular training sessions)
• Work that has already been completed or started (retrospective funding) or to fund deficits or loans
• Campaigning and fundraising activity
• Revenue and capital funding for national voluntary/ community organisations and public and private sector organisations
• Activities open only to one faith group
• Activity promoting a specific faith
• Faith leaders’ salaries
• General repairs and refurbishment, internal re-ordering of places of worship, building maintenance or DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliance
• General appeals

How to apply

The project is set up with localism at its heart. Ideally we would like each application to come through an engagement with your local Church of England parish church. Clergy contact details for each parish will be available from September; in the meantime, you can contact St Philip’s Centre for this information. (Contact details  below).  You should send a copy of the application toSt Philip’s Centre in case there is a difficulty, such as there is no parish priest currently in post.

The Fund is particularly pleased to receive applications from people of different faith groups or none, working in partnership with people of different faiths and within the criteria. Funding cannot be granted to individuals.

 

St Philip’s Centre for Study and Engagement in a Multi-Faith Society, Leicester

 

St Philips Centre, 2A Stoughton Drive North, LEICESTER, LE5 5UB
Contact: John McCallum at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Phone: 0116 273 8813

 

The Fund is administered through Church Urban Fund.

 

Download the application guidance notes (pdf):  near-neighbours-grants-guidance-2011
Download the application form (Word document):  near-neighbours-grant-application-form-2011
Download an example completed application form -  you may find this (fictitious) example useful in completing your application (PDF):  example-near-neighbours-grant-application-form-2011