Clarion Futures: Making a Difference Fund

Overview

They are a charitable foundation that gives Clarion residents access to the support, services and tools they need to make their goals and ambitions a reality. They provide opportunities, so that everyone who lives in a Clarion home, irrespective of their background, can create their future. 

They’ll be investing £150 million over the next 10 years to deliver one of the biggest social investment programmes in the country, helping to create more opportunities for people living in their homes and communities. 

About the Making a Difference Fund

The Making a Difference Fund has £50,000 available to award ten grants of up to £5,000 to support local communities celebrate, commemorate and increase connection to the places that they live. 

Projects must be in areas where there are Clarion properties. 

Funding Priorities

They are interested in applications that can demonstrate an understanding of what is already going on in the community, and how the grant will, for example: 

• Reach new participants, those that may be missing out or who are considered underrepresented in accessing services/activities
• Address gaps in local provision - where there is no similar/existing offer 
• Make the best use of other local services, partnerships or networks 

They are specifically interested in projects which meet the following priority areas:

• Celebrates the uniqueness of your neighbourhood 
• Brings people together from across different groups in your community 
• Creates a sense of belonging for current and future members of the community 
• Increases pride in your local area 

What will they fund

See below for an example of the types of projects and activities they would would consider:

• Celebrate key figures or historic local events through the creation of public art, murals or exhibitions to engage the wider community and celebrate your local area
• Bring people together to showcase the cultural diversity of your neighbourhood through creative events and activities
• Organise community cooking classes to share and enjoy cuisines from across your community and create a cookbook based on local resident recipes.
• Create a local history trail to celebrate and share places of interest in your local area. Host walks and talks to engage your neighbours in learning more about where you live
• Revitalise an underused, or create a new, green space to bring the community together through gardening, growing or just providing space for neighbours to meet and connect
• Or one of your very own ideas

Who can apply

Not-for-profit organisations including constituted community groups, registered charities, companies limited by guarantee, PTA or Friends of School groups, social enterprises or Community Interest Companies (CICs) are eligible to apply. 

Organisations must meet the following eligibility criteria before submitting an application: 

• Delivering a project aimed at supporting Clarion residents and the wider community 
• Projects must have a clear plan for engaging Clarion residents and the wider community 
• Have at least three (3) unrelated management committee members 
• Have a governing document 
• Have an organisational bank account in the name of the constituted group with at least two (2) unrelated signatories 
• Have a record of income and expenditure or set of accounts 
• If you are a new group you will need a bank statement and an income and expenditure forecast 
• Have a safeguarding policy if working with young people (under 18) or vulnerable adults 
• Have the relevant insurance in place, including public liability and employer liability where required, before delivering activities.

Funding Level & Eligible costs

The Making a Difference Fund has £50,000 available to award ten grants of up to £5,000 to support local communities celebrate, commemorate and increase connection to the places that they live. 

Funding is available to support identified running costs for the delivery of your Wellbeing Space. 

Grant requests can include, for example: 

• In person and remote delivery costs 
• Activity materials 
• Resources/equipment to deliver in-person or remote activities 
• Project delivery staff time* 
• Venue hire 
• Volunteer expenses 
• Publicity and marketing materials 
• Overheads at a standard rate of up to 10% of your project total 

*A note on grant support for salary costs:

• In all cases where the Grant Amount is supporting partial or total costs in relation to a salaried post(s) Clarion Futures will not take on any employment obligations or become an employer of the post holder(s) or any third party as a result of the provision of the Grant Amount. 
• For the avoidance of doubt, the Recipient will remain responsible for all employment costs including (but not limited to) those costs associated with maternity, paternity, adoptive or extended sick leave, severance or redundancy costs in line with the Recipient’s standard organisational policies. 

Applicant notes

When completing your application make sure you demonstrate: 

• Your knowledge of the local area and what people want
• Your knowledge of what other provision is available to the community 
• A clear plan for engaging Clarion residents to participate in your activity