Grants are available to charities, Community Land Trusts and housing co-operatives for projects that tackle a housing problem in local communities in eligible parts of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Funding body: Nationwide Building Society
Maximum value: £ 50,000
Application deadline: 31/07/2020
Background
Following a member vote in 2007, Nationwide invests at least 1% of pre-tax profits to support good causes each year.
Nationwide Building Society was founded to help people into homes of their own and its ambition that everyone should have a place fit to call home stands firm today.
Objectives of Fund
The funding is for local housing projects that will strengthen local communities to support the most vulnerable by:
- Preventing people from losing their home.
- Helping people into a home.
- Supporting people to thrive within the home environment.
- Applications are reviewed, discussed, and voted on by a regional Community Board, made up of Nationwide members and colleagues; who live and work in those communities. The funded projects will also get community and volunteering support.
The Community Boards will favour projects that:
- Help charities get back on their feet after the impact of coronavirus/COVID-19.
- Illustrate a clear link to Nationwide’s ambition for everyone to have a place fit to call home and can demonstrate the impact their project will have on the local community.
- Are supporting people in housing need, in original or creative ways. This includes both projects already delivering local impact and those carrying out research to find new ways to challenge the housing crisis.
- Have the potential to inspire and be used by others across the country.
- Have robust plans to measure and report on the difference the grant will make.
- Can demonstrate sustainability beyond the life of the grant, by building the skills of staff and volunteers, diversifying funding streams and providing long-term solutions for the people they are helping
- Can evidence knowledge of local issues and have a network of local connections.
Value Notes
The total amount available in 2020 is £4 million.
Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available. The funding period is between one and two years.
The grant can be used to fund a maximum of 25% of the organisation’s annual income.
This means that if an organisation’s income is £100,000 a year, it can apply for a maximum grant of £25,000. For two-year projects this can be for each year.
A combined income will be accepted for partnership projects.
Match Funding Restrictions
Nationwide will part-fund project costs of over 50% of the total project cost, but organisations must be able to secure the remaining project costs within two months of the award.
Who Can Apply
UK registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, Community Land Trusts and housing co-operatives can apply.
Consortia and partnership are encouraged to apply.
There will be a lead partner that submits the bid and will manage the funds if successful. Lead partners must be an eligible entity but can partner with: statutory organisations, housing associations, companies limited by guarantee with charitable objectives, community interest companies, constituted community or voluntary sector groups. Partnerships should be established before applying.
Location
Wales, West, South West, South East, North East, North West and North Midlands, East of England, London, Central, Scotland, Northern Ireland
Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Individuals or for individual sponsorship
- Activities generating private profit
- Major/large-scale capital costs, for example vehicles, land or property
- Retrospective costs – reimbursement for costs already incurred
- Organisations that promote religious or party-political activities. Priority will be given to projects which benefit all possible target beneficiaries irrespective of beliefs or affiliations.
Eligible Expenditure
The funding will support the following:
- Core costs (up to 20% of the grant amount requested) including running and facility costs, office equipment, supplies, any travel and accommodation, printing.
- Staff and volunteer costs for the project lead partner – including full-time staff, part-time staff, project delivery staff costs and other related expenses. All staff must be paid at least the Real Living Wage, set by the Living Wage Foundation, livingwage.org.uk/what-real-living-wage.
- Small-scale capital costs – including one-off expenses for equipment, or fixed assets that may have use or benefit beyond the life of the grant (one financial year), such as computer hardware, or items required to deliver a project, such as paint, paintbrushes and gardening equipment.
- Activity costs – such as catering or insurance, costs that help deliver projects or activities but fall outside of capital, staffing and volunteering costs.
- Development and capacity building costs – that support organisational sustainability, such as training staff and volunteers, and external consultancy fees.
- Building works and refurbishment costs – where they are essential to the successful delivery of the project.
How To Apply
The guidance notes and the online eligibility checker are available on the Nationwide Building Society website. Groups should read the Due Diligence guidance section at the end of the guidance notes. A list of all the documents needed for the application are also included in the guidance notes.
The 2020-21 application schedule:
1 June – grant applications are open.
31 July – closing date for applications.
1 August – all applications will be reviewed.
9 November – Community Boards meet
From January 2021 – Projects will be notified if they have been successful.
From February 2021 – Projects will receive their grants.
Useful Links
Nationwide Building Society – Community Grants Programme