Sustainable Development Fund
The North Devon Coast, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has a grant scheme for grants from £100 to £4,000.
The Sustainable Development Fund (SDF) is open to community groups, businesses, farmers or individuals to get a great, sustainable project off the ground. Projects, which bring environmental, economic, social or educational benefits to the communities within the North Devon Coast AONB are particularly welcome to apply.
The SDF is funded by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and for the last ten years has enabled the AONB Partnership to support many projects which meet the primary purposes of the AONB: to ‘conserve and enhance’ the natural beauty of the landscape.
For the year 2022 to 2023, the grant scheme is open to projects meeting any of the 2019 to 2024 AONB Management Plan priorities. To qualify for funding, projects are required to:
- Benefit the North Devon Coast AONB socially, environmentally or economically.
- Demonstrate strong community support or benefit.
- Involve
You can informally discuss a project idea by contacting Laura Carolan via email laura.carolan@devon.gov.uk or telephone 01392 388628.
The Application form and guidance on how to apply can be found on the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty website.
Community Ownership Fund – round 2
A reminder that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) Community Ownership Fund is open for expressions of interest.
The expression of interest (EOI) stage is a new element of round two. There is a short form that needs to be completed, which includes 26 questions. If successful, DLUHC will invite the community group to submit a full application for the fund.
There is no deadline for EOI’s or applications.
The Government is providing £150 million over four years to support community groups in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets and amenities at risk of being lost such as community centres, parks, pubs and post office buildings. Voluntary and community groups can bid for match funding to acquire important assets and run them for the benefit of the local community.
Guidance, the prospectus and the link to submit an EOI can be found on the GOV.UK website.
Prince’s Countryside Fund
The Prince’s Countryside Fund is inviting applications to its Supporting Rural Communities programme for grants of up to £25,000 over two years, for projects that will create a long-term difference in rural communities across the UK.
Applicants must be from properly constituted, non-profit organisations with an income of less than £500,000. Especially welcome are applications from groups and organisations with projects in hamlets, villages and small market towns.
The funders are interested in community-led projects (fledgling ideas and projects are of particular interest) pursuing solutions that improve the viability and resilience of their community, achieving one or more of the following aims:
- Support people to resolve existing and emerging community issues, circumstances, and priorities in their locality.
- Build rural community resilience.
- Develop innovative and replicable projects.
- Enable leadership and community planning.
- Improve the economic or social resilience of a rural community.
- Reduce isolation for people living in rural areas through improving service provision.
- Create a self-sufficient rural community fit for the future.
The deadline for applications is 11 October 2022.
To find out how to apply, find guidance and application tips visit the Prince’s Countryside Fund website.
Community News
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon is launching a new exhibition – In a New Light starting on Saturday 1 October 2022, 10 am to 5 pm.
This exhibition highlights North Devon Endangered and Heritage skills through the production of exciting new works. Two artists and one Craftsman through combining a learned endangered skill with their current practice have created the pieces of work.
Painter, Hester Berry has been working with Ceramicist Sandy Brown on tile making.
Furniture maker, Edward Wild has been taught Gilding by artist Danni Bradford.
Artist, Edward Crumpton has been taught Copper-smithing by Michael Johnson from Newlyn Copperworks.
All the artists have taken inspiration from the museum’s collection from the copper work featured in Shapland and Petter furniture, tiles from pottery from Brannam Pottery and gilding, which features on some hidden objects in the collection. These objects will be shown alongside the new works, as well as Photography and a Film documenting the project.
Visit the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon website to keep up-to-date with what’s on.