Small Grants, Big Opportunities
- Small Grants Fund bidding process opens today for community and voluntary sector groups
- Hundreds of residents benefit every year from activities organised by local groups and funded by the Council
- Groups invited to bid for pots of money to deliver activities to help build skills to access jobs, and for participation and volunteering opportunities
VOLUNTARY and community groups across Reading are being invited to bid for pots of money to deliver activities which will help local people build the skills and practical knowledge they need to access employment opportunities, as well as participation and volunteering opportunities for residents.
Reading remains a town of contrasts where not all residents enjoy the same life chances. As part of the Council’s continued commitment to help tackle inequality in the town, it has set aside £150,000 for this year’s Small Grants Fund.
From today (Nov 4), groups can apply for grants of up to £5,000 to deliver activities in communities which focus on driving attainment in skills, education and training for future employment, or to create volunteering or participation opportunities, particularly in parts of the town where need is greatest and where residents may experience disadvantages.
The grants are available for grassroots voluntary sector organisations who have received less than £20,000 in support from the Council during 2023/24. A proportion of the overall funding pot will also be ringfenced to support bids of under £2,500, with the aim of providing direct support to some of the smaller scale local activities within our communities.
Funding will only be given a project or activity which addresses an unmet need of Reading residents and is not funded, or able to be funded, through other sources. Activities could include one-off local events, the co-ordination of local events, minor start-up costs, purchasing equipment or sessional costs and programme costs.
Applications should be made using the Reading Small Grants Fund 2024/25 Grant Application Form at www.reading.gov.uk/SmallGrantsFund. The deadline is 13 December 2024 and groups will be notified whether they have been successful by the first week of March 2025.
Reading Council Leader, Councillor Liz Terry, said:
“Our priority as a Council remains enabling everyone who lives here to have the opportunity to share in Reading’s success. This year’s Small Grants Fund therefore focuses on helping to build self-sufficiency in some of our communities who do not have access to the same opportunities as others. The practical route to access those opportunities is through skills, education and training, as well as opportunities to volunteer or participate in activities, and we welcome bids from groups across Reading who operate smaller scale activities in our communities.
"The Council’s Small Grants Fund delivers a huge array of activities and benefits to Reading and, despite the obvious financial challenges facing every council, we have again set aside this funding in our budget because we know it brings real benefits to people’s lives.”
Councillor Ellie Emberson, Lead for Corporate Services and Resources, added:
“Reading boasts an unrivalled community and voluntary sector who retain the ability to reach individuals and communities which the Council would otherwise find difficult to. Within the sector we know there are smaller groups which may not have necessarily accessed these grants previously and this year’s process has been especially tailored to invite bids from them.
"You only need to look at the incredible breadth and variety of activities which were delivered as part of last year’s Small Grants Fund scheme to understand why it remains such an important project, particularly in parts of the town where need is greatest.”
For further information on the criteria for bids for the 2024/25 Small Grants Fund go to www.reading.gov.uk/SmallGrantsFund.
* See Notes To Editors for success stories from last year's Small Grants Fund.
Notes to editors
Success stories from the 2023/24 Small Grant Fund (Round-1)
A total of 95 applications were received in the first round of the 2023/24 Small Grant Fund scheme, with 20 groups successful in sharing £100,000 worth of grants. Residents who benefitted include:
- A £9,950 Council grant helped 25 participants over 12 weekly sessions to attend peer-to-peer space and workshop for perinatal women offered by Becoming Mums. Some of the positive feedback were- I’ve discovered I’m more creative than I thought I was”. “I’m so happy my children and I are free to be ourselves”.
- 624 children and parents benefitted from Parenting Special Children project thanks to £4,900 grant awarded to PSC to improve the health and well-being of Reading Families.
- St Matthews church was awarded £5,000 by the Council to run a warm hub. The project feed home-made meal on an average up to 50 people a week along with support for families with social services, mental health support and general pastoral support.
- 135 young people aged 11-17 years were supported by thought the counselling session provided by No 5 Young People utilizing the grant £4,995 awarded by the Council. Counselling session helped to improve their outcome scores on Decrease in Self-harm, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts etc.
- 32 children and young people with additional needs were supported by the programme run by Me 2 Club. Thanks to £5,000 Council grants to support and helping to achieve positive outcomes like more confident more independent, and less socially isolated and lonely.
- 40 vulnerable older people were served with 340 meals in South Reading using the awarded grants of £2,580 by South Reading Over 50s Social Club.
- 12 beds for children were distributed to families in Reading ensuring safe place to sleep for children. Thanks to First Days Children’s Charity for utilizing partial fund of £1286.53.
- Rank & File Theatre were awarded £5,000 to support weekly engagement sessions in a theatre studio at South Street Arts over eight months. The project benefits 55 people expanding the community engagement and artistic practise for minority group, creating skills for employment, creating a safe environment with support using trauma informed practise.
- 10 parents and 13 domestically abused children were supported via Bounce Back 4 Kids(BB4K) programme run by PACT with awarded grant of £5,000.
- 104 old age people living with dementia were supported through dementia club. Thanks to Age UK Reading for utilising £5,000 grants awarded by the Council.
- Dance Reading was awarded £4,900 to provide inspiring and creative vocational training for young people with risk of becoming NEET(Not in Education, Employment Training).The awarded grants was productively used to support 25 young people who consistently engaged in the project taking part in activities and workshop.
- Reading Welfare Rights was funded £5,000 to provide specialist advice, support and casework services to the parents, guardians, and carers of adults with learning difficulties and autism.17 vulnerable adults and their careers were benefited from the awarded project.
- 138 children under 5 with SEND and their families in Reading were supported by Dingley’s Promise utilising the Council’s awarded grant £4,778.97.
- 24 people from Reading were benefitted from 4E’course delivered by Brown Community Services as a result of the Council’s awarded £4,968 grant.
- 41 young people from Reading were supported using sport and physical activities to tackle health inequalities and improve mental health and wellbeing, Thanks to £4,807 grant to Sport in Mind.
- Double Okay was funded £9,994.50 for the project Double Okay LGBTQIA+ Making Sessions. At the end of the project 121 participants were supported by Making Sessions and 212 participants were supported via Queer Social.
- 65 Muslim women and around 90 children were supported by CMA and RBC Community Project. Thanks to £5,000 grant to Caversham Muslim Association.