News One week left to apply for Summer Community Support Fund

With just one week left for local community groups to apply for the Summer Community Support Fund, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is urging them to do it now.

Local voluntary and community organisations are being encouraged to apply for one-off funding of between £500 and £5,000 which will help provide support for Maidstone residents.

MBC Summer Community Support Fund (part of the Government Household Support Grant) applications are only until Monday 10 July. They are available for community organisations to help vulnerable households and families who may be struggling with food poverty during the summer holidays. To apply please go online now to: MBC Summer Community Support Fund

Cllr Claudine Russell, MBC Cabinet Member for Communities, Leisure and Arts said:

The price of food going up has affected all of us and there is no doubt that it has changed the way we shop.  These grants are there to support those people who maybe struggling during the summer holidays and will help local voluntary and community groups which work with the residents of Maidstone who may be struggling. With just one week left I would encourage them to apply now.

Applications for the Summer Community Support Fund will be evaluated by an MBC panel and successful applications will be determined by how much residents and the community will benefit from the project proposed.

Suggested projects could include:

• Food Larders/Community food stores
• Free hot/cold meals
• Food delivery boxes
• Projects for young people providing them with meals
• Food Voucher Schemes

All applications should be able to demonstrate:

• What support will be offered using the funding and how the project will be delivered
• How they will specifically encourage Maidstone residents to engage with the proposed service/project/scheme
• Which areas or communities will be supported in the community
• A breakdown of cost of how the grant will be spent

Please note that the successful organisations will be required to provide feedback and details to Maidstone Borough Council on the amount of households supported.

If you have any questions about the fund or need the application form in another format, please email vcsliaison@maidstone.gov.uk.

If you are an organisation and would like to be kept up to date on news and funding, join the MBC Voluntary and Community Sector mailing list to be notified by contacting: vcsliasion@maidstone.gov.uk

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