Grants of up to £500 are now available from East Devon District Council for voluntary, community and other not for profit groups.

The council has set up a one-off Small Community Grants scheme to provide grants to support community-led ideas and initiatives across the area.

Applications are sought from groups looking to fund smaller projects, rather than it being a small percentage contribution of a big costly project.

East Devon District Councillor Jack Rowland, chair of the Community Grants Panel said: "I'd encourage eligible groups to apply for this one off grant to assist you in meeting a need in your community as you are best placed to identify the priorities in your area of the district."

Projects that would be eligible for funding must help achieve either or both of the following:

1) One or both of the key priorities listed in our Council Plan:

– Better homes and communities for all.

– A greener East Devon.

Please see more details about what is included within each priority to see whether your application would be eligible eastdevon.gov.uk/council-plan

2) One or more of the actions listed in the council's Poverty Strategy: eastdevon.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-business/poverty-reduction-strategy

Examples of projects that might be eligible include (but aren't limited to):

– Improving people's mental health

– Community events

– Communities taking over their own assets

– Improving the quality of homes

– Reducing hardship and inequality, supporting people on low incomes and working to combat poverty

– Improving community spaces

– Environmental and climate change related projects

– Improving people's health and wellbeing

Who can apply

Applications are accepted from properly constituted and not-for-private-profit: – Voluntary and community sector groups and organisations

– Parish Councils

– Charities

– Others such as Community Interest Companies

– Or a combination of such groups working together. Non-constituted groups without their own, separate bank account may apply but will need to do so by an accountable constituted organisation acting on their behalf.

When you can apply

You can apply anytime until December 16 2022, applications will be considered as they come in. Decisions on applications will be made within about four weeks of them being submitted and any follow up questions being answered. However, the amount of available funding is limited, once it runs out the fund will close to applications, this may be earlier than Friday, December 16 2022. To find out more and to apply, visit eastdevon.gov.uk/grants-and-funding/grants-available-from-us/small-community-grants