News
Grassroots Grants Update
Community Foundation for Surrey is delighted to have awarded over £300,000 in Grassroots Grants to 85 community groups.
This is the total amount awarded so far from the three year Grassroots Grants programme, which aims to support small voluntary groups who are making a big difference to their local communities.
A further £700,000 will be awarded before April 2011 to support a wide range of community activities, including sports, leisure, arts, disability, elderly, youth and children.
The Grassroots Grants Programme is funded by the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) and administered nationally by the Community Development Foundation (CDF) and locally in Surrey by the Community Foundation for Surrey.
In January 2009, 15 community groups across Surrey have received Grassroots funding, including:
- £4,260 awarded to Farnham based community group Opportunities, who offer skills training to single parents from the Sandy Hill estate. The grant will contribute towards the purchase of laptops to be used for IT training.
- £4,295 awarded to CREST (Caring Runnymede Elmbridge Spelthorne Together) to contribute towards the costs of relaxation days provided for people with cancer.
- £5,000 awarded to 3rd Banstead Scout Group towards replacing their minibus.
It is hoped that these grants, and other Grassroots awards, will support community and voluntary groups to build stronger and more active communities throughout the county.
Professor Patrick Dowling, Chair, Community Foundation for Surrey said "We are absolutely delighted with the excellent projects which Grassroots Grants have been able to support so far. We would encourage other small voluntary organisations locally to contact us for details on how to apply for a grant."
In addition to awarding Grassroots Grants Community Foundation for Surrey is building permanent funding to enable grants to be awarded once the Grassroots Grant programme ends in March 2011.
Click here to find out more about Grassroots Grants.
Alternatively, you can contact us on 01483 409230 or email: info@communityfoundationsurrey.org.uk
Bloomin' Arts, a community group based in Redhill received a grant of £3,760 The grant will enable 10 actors and 6 backstage volunteers with learning disabilities to adapt, learn and deliver William Shakespeare's 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'. For the first time, the group will be using disabled volunteers 'behind the scenes' to assist in the delivery of the performance. In addition to the public performance, the group will also run a number of drama workshops for those with special needs in their local community. Group member, Mark Whiting summed up the project: "It's all about teamwork."