Opening Doors Community Grant

Hosted by Torfaen Voluntary Alliance

The Opening Doors Community Grant aims to directly fund local community hubs to create additional capacity/activity or extend existing activity that will enable local community members to participate in activities that support their wellbeing

Local hubs provide a focal point for helping people establish social networks or regain previous ones. They provide opportunities for social interaction and encourage new friendships, raising awareness of health and wellbeing and improving feelings of inclusion and participation.

A hub is a public space that brings several community agencies and neighbourhood groups together to offer a range of activities, programs, and services. It is not limited to a building and may be an outside space such as a community garden or allotment.

Purpose of the Opening Doors Community Grant

Grants will support not for profit organisations working at a local ‘grass roots’ community level across Torfaen and can be between £250 – £2,500.
We can consider requests outside this range, but please contact us first to discuss.

This fund is primarily focused on revenue funding; however, your funding request can contain costs for purchases of smaller ‘capital’ equipment including consumables. Please refer to ‘What can be Funded’ and What Cannot be Funded’

The grant is not prescriptive and is responsive to the needs of voluntary sector service deliverers: for example, to help organisations scale up existing activities, re-establish themselves after the pandemic, promote themselves more widely and help fund the use of community-based venues.

Whilst we want to encourage activities which bring people together face-to face in a safe and secure way, funding can also be used to support online activities where this is the most appropriate or only way to build social connections e.g., where access to a venue is difficult or for those not quite ready to meet people face-to-face.

Applicants are invited to apply, if they can demonstrate that activities support one or more of the Welsh Government Loneliness & Social Isolation Strategy’s 4 Priority Areas:

increasing opportunities for people to connect
a community infrastructure that supports connected communities
cohesive and supportive communities
building awareness and promoting positive attitudes

It is anticipated that activity will begin as soon as award of the grant is made, if you would like a deferred start date, please contact us ahead of submission.

Is Your Organisation Eligible to Apply?

Your organisation can apply if:

It is a Third/Voluntary Sector (Not-For-Profit) Organisation and is independent of government, private and public sectors:
Registered Charity
Constituted Group
Community Interest Company
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Company Limited by Guarantee
Company Limited by Shares, where all shares are held by one of the above (i.e., wholly owned social business subsidiary of a Charity)
Industrial and Provident Society (IPS) in the form of a Community Benefit Society (BenCom)
Financial Mutuals
The funding will be for activities/services/communities in Wales
Your organisation has at least 2 authorised signatories
Your organisation has its own bank account or an account in the name of the ‘Trustees of [name of organisation]’

Your organisation cannot apply if you are:

A political organisation
A statutory organisation
A private organisation
An individual

All funding requests must be solely for activity in Torfaen.

What Can Be Funded

We are open to requests for anything that you think will enable your venue to provide opportunities for people to connect including, but not limited to, the following examples:

Furniture, e.g., seating
Equipment for the delivery of activities
Sessional workers
Noticeboards to display information
Promotion and marketing activties

What Cannot Be Funded

Grants will not be awarded retrospectively i.e., for costs already incurred prior to the receipt of the grant offer letter and signed terms and conditions.
Activity that is currently being funded through another funding stream
Where there are other Welsh Government grants available for specific activities, it is expected that they will be accessed where possible, rather than The Opening Doors Community Grant
Proselytising activities

We expect to see in your application

An overview of current activity taking place at the hub
Budget Panning – Evidence of intended spend e.g., quotes, allocation of cost breakdown
Sustainability
Partner / Organisation Involvement

Request Process

The applicant will complete the brief application form outlining the purpose of funding requested, ensuring it is in line with the grant aim.
Requests will be reviewed by a panel board and if there are any queries you will be contacted.
Panel approval on a rolling basis to avoid delay.
Notification of funding via Grant Offer Letter and payment via BACs.

If you are involved in the management of a community venue and want to know more about the project and grant – please contact our Opening Doors Development Officer on caroline@tvawales.org.uk.