Q.
Who funds Community Spaces?
A. The Big Lottery Fund provides funding for the Community Spaces programme under its Changing Spaces initiative.
Q. Who manages Community Spaces?
A. Groundwork UK manages Community Spaces on behalf of a consortium of environmental organisations drawing on their skills, experience and knowledge to effectively manage the programme.
Q. What grants are available from Community Spaces?
A. Community Spaces is now closed to new applications. The deadline for applications and signed declarations was the 07 January 2011 at 12 noon.
Q. What does Community Spaces offer in terms of support?
A. A network of trained Facilitators help successful applicants to develop their project at stage 2 of the application process and provide advice on specialist areas and issues like planning and biodiversity.
Q. Are there any match funding requirements?
A. Small, medium and large grants do not have to provide any match funding. Community Spaces can fund 100% of your eligible project costs although groups can provide match funding if they wish. Flagship projects need to acquire a minimum of £50,000 and must not exceed £450,000. Match funding should not be from another Changing Spaces award programme.
Q. Are there any limits on what the funding can be used for?
A. Yes. Community Spaces will only provide a limited amount of funding for car park space, lighting, CCTV and security systems. This will be a maximum of 25% of the total grant applied for. Small and medium grants will need to ensure that any revenue expenditure does not exceed 25% and capital expenditure is at least 75%.
Q. How are Community Spaces funds distributed?
A. Once your stage 1 application has been assessed, it will be taken to our independent Grants Panel. The Grants Panel meets every 6 weeks to make decisions about which projects to approve. To ensure we do not spend all of our funding at the beginning of the programme, each meeting is allocated a budget to spend. Our grant programme, like many lottery-funded programmes, is over subscribed. This means that your application will be in competition with other applications for a limited amount of funding.
The Grants Panel will consider:
It is important that you provide us with a fully completed application, which clearly demonstrates how your project will address the above areas. Your project may be rejected because your application does not clearly or fully answer the questions.
Q. Who should I contact if I have any questions or queries about the programme?
A. Please phone the Advice Line or send an email with your question(s) to info@community-spaces.org.uk
Q. How can I make a complaint?
A. If you feel that during the application process you have been given inadequate or incorrect information or guidance, then please follow our complaints procedure. The complaints procedure cannot be used to overturn a decision or to appeal against a decision made on an application. Further information is available on the Customer Complaints page.
Q. When must Community Spaces funding be spent by?
A. All successful projects must claim their grant before the 21st December 2012. However, we strongly recommend all projects to plan in advance and to claim their grant as per the milestones set out in their application.
Q. How do I find out the latest information on Community Spaces?
A. Check our website where you can find the latest updates, additional features and resources. Visit our blog - the Community Spaces blog includes short news stories as well as information from successful projects.
