Information and requirements

Each of the six Community Councils within Waltham Forest will receive £10,000 per ward and £5,000 for the whole area. The aim of the funding is to provide local solutions to local problems with residents helping to improve the quality of life for themselves and other residents in their area.

The funding aims to enable:

  • Local people are able to identify and prioritise the issues that are most important to them locally
  • Local solutions are developed in response to local problems
  • The quality of life for residents in local areas is improved
  • The promotion of cohesive neighbourhoods and celebration of diversity
  • Volunteering and community involvement are encouraged

Suggested projects will be accepted from:

  • Voluntary groups/organisations who are already undertaking activities which benefit their community
  • A group of local residents who require funding in order to set up an organisation which will benefit their community
  • Residents who have identified a need in their local area and want the Council to provide a solution

Funding available

Ward funding, £10,000

  • To fund projects or activities suggested by local residents which address a need or problem they have identified in their ward
  • To fund voluntary groups/organisations undertaking projects of benefit to residents of the ward
  • Voluntary groups/organisations can only apply for funding from one ward in the whole of the borough
  • If an application is made for funding from a ward no further applications can be made for any Community Council funding

Community Council area funding, £5,000

  • To fund projects or activities suggested by local residents which address a need or problem they have identified in their Community Council area
  • To fund voluntary groups/organisations undertaking projects of benefit to residents of the whole Community Council area
  • Applications can be made to one or more Community Council whole area budgets (£5,000 budget)

Projects

What sort of projects will be funded?

Some examples of the sorts of projects that may benefit a local area are:

  • Developing community activities (e.g., producing a community newsletter, running a neighbourhood day/event)
  • Running local community projects (e.g., setting up a toy library or youth centre)
  • Improving local neighbourhoods (e.g. improved environments for community use)
  • Supporting disadvantaged communities (e.g. self help groups for disabled people)
  • Celebrating community history or culture (e.g. community arts or media events, inter–community sports days)

We will not award funding:

  • To individuals
  • To meet expenditure already incurred
  • Where statutory or other funding is available
  • To commercial or profit-making organisations or projects
  • For activities that are primarily religious or political in nature
  • Where the monrey is used to ensure compliance with statutory duties
  • To contribute to major capital or ‘bricks and mortar’ projects
  • Where existing activity will be duplicated

How to apply

Voluntary groups / organisations

  • Attend the Summer meeting of your Community Council
  • You will be given the opportunity to discuss your proposal with other residents and ward councillors
  • You will be given a form, which you can take away and complete

If you are unable to attend the meeting, download the application form (177KB Word file) after the meeting, or contact the Community Councils Team.

The form must be fully completed and returned to the Community Councils team by 31 August 2009.

Failure to provide all relevant information will disqualify your group/organisation from the funding process.  

An acknowledgement will be sent within two working days of receipt of your application. Please ensure that your form is submitted in plenty of time as late applications will not be accepted.

Please note:
Some ideas for projects that are put forward by residents may be most appropriate for a voluntary or community group to deliver. We will be publicising these in July and August so that voluntary and community groups can submit proposals to deliver these projects.

The proposal will be brought back to the Autumn meeting when residents of the area will be asked to indicate their preferences for spending the available money.

Requirements for voluntary groups / organisations

What will applicants need to demonstrate?

  • Basic infrastructure is in place to manage and spend the fund
    A group or organisation must have a constitution or terms of reference. Please see the checklist (22KB PDF file) that outlines what you will be required to submit (depending on the nature of the project that you are delivering) before funding can be released.
  • Their project will benefit the local area and residents and that they are able to manage the funds and undertake the project successfully.Check the sample specification (52.0 KB PDF file) that provides an example of the scheduled targets, outcomes and spend  that you will be asked to provide.
    Groups that receive funding will be required to feedback to the local residents at subsequent Community Council meetings.

Informal groups

If you are a group of local people who currently or wish to deliver a project or activities in your local area but have no basic infrastructure, you can apply to the Community Council for a small amount of money to help you put in place the infrastructure which will enable you to apply for a grant from your Community Council or other agencies in the future.

Selection process

At your Community Council's Autumn meeting local residents will be invited to vote for their preferred choices from the list of funding proposals.

Your local councillors will make the final decision taking into account the recommendations of the community and subject to compliance with the council procedures and appropriate financial and legal advice.

Allocation of funds

The funds allocated by the Community Council will be given to successful groups/organisations in instalments. The final installment will be given at the end of the project when evidence has been provided to show that it has been satisfactorily completed.

Monitoring and evaluation

All applications from local groups and organisations will be subject to a monitoring and evaluation process.

Monitoring

Projects will be monitored at regular intervals to ensure that the project is being delivered as planned and that outputs are being achieved. The monitoring form shows the information that will be required.

Evaluation

An evaluation will be also need to be completed at the end of projects to ensure that the funds have benefited the local community. The evaluation form shows the information that will be required.

» Monitoring and evaluation form (45KB PDF file)

Withdrawal of funding

If the Community Council Team has not received the information required in order to release funds within one year of the decision to allocate the funding the Community Council will be asked whether or not it wishes to withdraw the funding offer and reallocate it to other projects.

Contact us

» Please see the Community Council contacts page