Sizewell C
Community Fund

We welcome applications from:

• voluntary and community organisations
• registered charities
• social enterprises, including community interest companies
• group of organisations led by a voluntary or community organisation, or a social enterprise
• town or parish councils

We cannot accept applications from:

• individuals
• sole traders
• organisations based outside the UK
• anyone who is applying on behalf of another organisation
• organisations without at least three unconnected people on its board or committee
• organisations which are not inclusive. Projects and activities which target specific groups of people for good reason are eligible, however the organisation itself must be inclusive
• companies that are aimed at generating profits for private distribution
• grant-making organisations (who award grants to other organisations or individuals)

Priority will be given to applications for projects that:

• are in communities that have been significantly affected by the impacts of Sizewell C
• are supported by the wider community
• clearly address the impacts of Sizewell C, or make the most of the opportunities it creates
• are inclusive – to make sure everyone can benefit, although we appreciate some projects may need to target specific groups of people with good reason
• offer good value for money
• consider sustainability beyond the duration of the funding

We will fund both revenue costs, which are the day-to-day running costs of the project, and capital costs, which are one-off items which last for several years.

 Revenue costs could include:

•  staffing (such as recruitment costs, salaries, travel, training and DBS checks)
• volunteer expenses
• accommodation (such as rent, insurance and utilities)
• overheads or core costs (such as management or administration, up to 15% of award)
• meeting costs (such as room hire and refreshments)
• consumables (such as stationery, printing and postage)
• planning and legal fees
• development work which helps get the project up and running, such as research or consultation
• costs relating to achieving a formal governance structure
• feasibility studies
• evaluation costs

 Capital costs could include:

•  buildings and building improvements
• vehicles
• IT equipment and software
• office equipment and furniture
• other equipment (such as polytunnels, gazebos or tools)

Eligible organisations can hold one grant per project at a time. Groups are welcome to make further applications at any time for different projects.

You can apply to us for up to 100% of your project’s costs if they total £50,000 or less. If your total project costs are more than £50,000 then, depending on the amount you are asking for and the type of project you wish to deliver, we may not be able to fund the full amount and may ask you to seek additional sources of funding to contribute towards the costs. These may include another grant, volunteer time and in-kind services e.g. grass cutting for a park project. Please contact us for a discussion.

We can direct you to other funders for match funding for your project. Please contact us to find out more.

We will not fund:

•  Projects and activities looking to address any existing needs in East Suffolk, except where these existing needs have been exacerbated by the impact of Sizewell C.
• Projects and activities looking to address needs which are not as a result of Sizewell C
• Duplication of projects or activities already taking place.
• Non-charitable or unlawful projects.
• Corporate sponsorship.
• Projects and activities which promote or support religious or political causes.
• Projects that might reasonably be deemed offensive or have a disproportionately negative impact on the environment
• Animal welfare projects, except those which provide clear benefits to the wider community.
• Projects that have already taken place or will take place before any grant award has been confirmed
• Projects delivering services that are a statutory responsibility.
• Projects or groups that are directly opposed to Sizewell C’s interests.
• Projects which are inconsistent with local plans (such as those drawn up by town or parish councils, Suffolk County Council or East Suffolk Council)
• Grants to meet the personal needs of individuals or families.
• Groups with significant free or unrestricted financial reserves
• Contributions to endowment funds, payment of deficit funding or the repayment of loans.
• Overseas travel or expeditions.
• Sponsored or fundraising events or groups raising funds to redistribute to other causes, including those that are grant makers.
• Medical research and equipment for statutory or private healthcare.
• Commercial ventures, unless the group is a registered as a not-for-profit organisation.

 Please note this is not an exhaustive list and may be subject to change.

 We will not pay VAT if your organisation is able to claim this cost back from HMRC.

We will ask successful applicants to contribute to a monitoring report so that we can show local people, as well as other organisations who are considering bidding for funds, the impact the money is having. This might be during as well as at the end of the grant period.

To help us do this, you will need to carry out benchmarking at the start be able to provide relevant information or data during your project to clearly show on the difference your project has made in relation to the outcomes you tell us about in your application. This could include information about the number of people accessing a service, for example, or changes which have taken place as a result of the funding.

 We will also ask you to send us anonymised case studies to demonstrate the impact of your work and help inspire others who may be considering applying for money.

 In addition, we will arrange visits during or after the funding period to discuss your project with you and those who are benefitting from it, and to see the difference it is making.

 We will regularly send out press releases and include stories about successful projects in newsletters, reports and other publicity materials, such as social media posts. This shows the people who support us the difference their generosity is making while also helping to publicise your work more widely.

 Please speak to us if you have any concerns about including your group in our publicity.

Successful applicants will be required to acknowledge Sizewell C Community Fund, Sizewell C and Suffolk Community Foundation when promoting or reporting on their project. Clear branding guidelines with logos will be provided and recipients will be asked to share examples of promotion where appropriate.

Projects receiving large grants for capital items such as buildings may also need to display a permanent funder logo in the form of a plaque or similar.