The council is focusing on identifying projects that will deliver the Community and Place Investment Priority. This in part will be delivered through the Community and Place Fund, for which submissions from first-time applicants are invited.
How to apply
Projects must align with one of the themes of 'Culture and Communities' and/or 'Health and Wellbeing' and specifically respond to some of the challenges and opportunities identified in Amber Valley Borough Council’s UKSPF Investment Plan – a summary of these are included in Appendix A of the guidance.
The UKSPF requires activity to be delivered against an agreed set of interventions.
For Amber Valley, under the Communities and Place priority, these are:
- Support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities.
- Impactful volunteering and/or social action projects.
- Community engagement schemes, and local regeneration.
- Community measures to reduce the cost of living, including through measures to improve energy efficiency, and combat fuel poverty and climate change.
- Activities such as enrichment and volunteering to improve opportunities for wellbeing.
Detailed guidance and the online application form can be accessed via the links below.
First call for 2024/25 Communities and Place projects
Amber Valley Borough Council is inviting eligible local organisations to submit advance applications for funding of £5,000 - £10,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Funding (UKSPF) to support the delivery of projects commencing from 1 April 2024 and concluding not later than 31 March 2025 which meet the communities and place investment priority and align with our local priorities.
A call for first-time applicants will be open from 8 January 2024 until 4 March 2024. Depending on fund availability, a second call for first-time applicants will go out from 25 March 2024 until 20 May 2024. Fund availability permitting, a third call will be open from 3 June which prioritises first-time applicants but also invites submissions from second-time applicants who successfully delivered a first project, adhering to the reporting and publicity requirements.
Whilst this is a competitive bidding process, Amber Valley Borough Council may ask projects to collaborate where there is a clear rationale for doing so such as to maximise the impact.
How will applications be assessed?
Initially, eligibility will be assessed, noting:
- Financial due diligence checks will be undertaken as appropriate at the council’s discretion. These checks will include the applicant’s financial standing, assessing the ability to deal with issues such as cost increases and with cash flow issues with grants provided in arrears. If these are not satisfactorily assessed, the project will be deemed ineligible.
- Applicants must be legally constituted and if approved, the organisation will enter into a legally binding funding agreement and therefore will carry the liability for ensuring that the terms and conditions of the funding agreement are met.
- The council reserves the right to deem a project ineligible if the application is incomplete, has insufficient justification, or is not signed.
- Particular attention will be given to the position on insurance and liabilities.
- Subsidy control checks
If the application is to proceed, Appendix B within the guidance references the assessment framework against which each application will be scored.
Who can apply?
- The recipients of UKSPF monies may include community groups, voluntary organisations, and charities either operating within Amber Valley or planning to deliver projects exclusively in the borough of Amber Valley.
- Organisations must be legally constituted.
- Eligible organisations seeking funding for projects commencing on or after 1st April 2024 which conclude on or before 31st March 2025.
- The first and second calls are open only to new applicants. Should the fund open for a third call, priority will be given to new applicants, although applications will be considered from organisations previously in receipt of funds from this grant, but who are seeking funding for a new project and meet all other eligibility criteria.
Who cannot apply?
- Individuals and precepting authorities who have been given financial assistance exceeding the Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) threshold.
- Organisations seeking funding for projects that conclude after 31 March 2025.
- Organisations that have previously received UKSPF Community and Place funding cannot apply during the first and second call.
Queries
Any queries should be made in writing to ukspf@ambervalley.gov.uk and be sent no later than a week before the application deadline.
Need further help or information?
Contact the team directly on 01773 841426 or email ukspf@ambervalley.gov.uk
