News Apply now for Winter Community Support Fund

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is encouraging local community groups to apply now for the new Winter Community Support Fund. The support fund is open for applications from voluntary and community organisations delivering projects to support struggling households over the winter period.

Organisations can apply for one-off funding between £500 and £5,000 for projects designed to help households experiencing food or fuel poverty.

The community support fund is funded by the Government’s Household Support Fund and is open until 2 January 2025.

MBC Cabinet Member for Healthier Stronger Communities Cllr Stephen Thompson said:

“The Council is using part of its portion of the Government’s Household Support Fund to support community schemes which will help local families who are struggling with keeping warm, and with food and fuel poverty over the winter months.

“Applications are welcome from local voluntary and community organisations to help with providing support to Maidstone residents. I would encourage as many organisations as possible to apply now for the funding which could help the residents of Maidstone who need it.”

Projects should offer direct support with food or fuel and keeping warm and can include:

• free lunch clubs
• meal boxes
• care packages
• food voucher schemes
• vouchers/grants for fuel support
• projects providing other essentials, for example, clothing and cooking appliances
• be as inclusive as possible of all in real need

Who can apply?

• voluntary or community organisations
• registered charities
• constituted groups
• non-constituted groups with their own bank account
• faith groups, if the project is inclusive of all faiths
• a not-for-profit company or community interest company

The fund is not open to:

• organisations based outside the UK
• organisations that are not supporting Maidstone residents
• individuals or sole traders
• companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders, or members

Applications need to include:

• details of how the project will specifically support residents with food and fuel poverty and how this will be delivered
• how Maidstone residents will be identified and encouraged to engage with the proposed service/project/scheme
• information on what area of the community will be supported by the project
• how many people the project expects to support
• a breakdown of the cost of how the funding will be spent
• successful applicants will also be required to provide feedback and details on the number of households supported and the type of support given

Applications can be made online here: https://maidstone.gov.uk/winter-support-grant

Applicants will be notified if they have been successful mid-January 2025.

All applications will be evaluated against the scheme criteria and the project scope in terms of its ability to support Maidstone residents.

For any questions about the fund or require the application form in another format, please email vcsliaison@maidstone.gov.uk

Any organisation who would like to be kept up to date on news and funding, please join the MBC Voluntary and Community Sector mailing list to be notified by contacting vcsliasion@maidstone.gov.uk.

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