Who can apply?

Organisations who may apply include:

• Charitable organisations
• Clubs and societies with a constitution e.g. playgroups and sports clubs
• Community interest companies
• Company limited by guarantee that has tangible social objectives
• Town and Parish Councils
• Voluntary and community groups or residents’ associations with a formal constitution

Applications will not be accepted from:

• Any statutory organisations, including schools
• Churches/faith organisations purely promoting their own faith
• Families
• For-profit companies, that benefit the directors or shareholders of the company
• Groups that have no formal constitution
• Individuals
• Political organisations

All projects receiving funding must meet the needs of Rother residents and have significant community commitment to the aims of the project e.g. Local Action and community consultation.

Types of Eligible Projects

The types of projects that will be eligible for Rother grant aid are:
(As defined by the funding requirements) 

• Creating and enhancing community nature friendly gardens
• Creating and enhancing nature friendly rural green spaces
• Creating and enhancing watercourses and embankments
• Greening of streets and paths
• Incorporating natural features into wider public spaces
• Improving or creating cycleways or paths
• Improving green spaces for accessibility
• Rehabilitating green and blue space for nature

This scheme does not fund:

• Projects that are not delivered in Rother
• Projects that are delivered in Bexhill
• Projects that do not provide a service or benefit to Rother residents
• Feasibility/research studies
• Funding to continue projects and services already established
• Retrospective applications
• Projects that do not demonstrate sustainability over the medium term
• Salaries/consultancy fees/expenses to those who may be involved either directly or indirectly with the project
• Projects that do not demonstrate where the community has identified a need for a project/scheme (evidence of community support for the project will need to be provided)
• Grants to individuals, national charities or private businesses (only community interest companies and community enterprises)
• Projects where funding should have been provided for repairs, maintenance and alterations (we will consider applications for major repairs on their merits) – Please note: if your project includes the replacement of property, vehicles or equipment you will need to provide evidence as to what you are replacing, the age of the property, vehicle or equipment you are replacing, together with proof of invoices and minutes to demonstrate the maintenance regime that has been in place for these items
• We cannot support projects or costs where there is a statutory duty to provide them.

In addition: (REPF requirements)

• paid for lobbying, entertaining, petitioning or challenging decisions, which means using the Fund to lobby (via an external firm or in-house staff) in order to undertake activities intended to influence or attempt to influence Parliament, government or political activity including the receipt of UKSPF funding; or attempting to influence legislative or regulatory action
• VAT reclaimable from HMRC
• gifts, or payments for gifts or donations
• statutory fines, criminal fines or penalties
• payments for works or activities which the lead local authority, project deliverer, end beneficiary, or any member of their partnership has a statutory duty to undertake, or that are fully funded by other sources
• contingencies and contingent liabilities
• dividends
• bad debts, costs resulting from the deferral of payments to creditors, or winding up a company
• expenses in respect of litigation, unfair dismissal or other compensation
• costs incurred by individuals in setting up and contributing towards private pension schemes

We cannot support projects that have received funding from other Defra schemes. This includes:

• The Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme – funding for farmers and land managers to work in partnership with National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty bodies to deliver projects on climate, nature, people and place
• The Farming Investment Fund – grants to improve productivity and bring environmental benefits, covering 2 funds – the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund and the Farming Transformation Fund
• The Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund – grant funding over 3 years (to 2025) to support capital improvement projects for village halls, covering extending buildings and modernising facilities.

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