Community Plus Fund

We can help you promote your project, signpost you to specialist support and connect you with partners and council services. We also recommend you speak with your Ward Councillors and Third Sector Leaders for additional support and advice.  You can also view other funding sources.

You must register with the Council’s Grants Access Point (GAP). Registration may take several weeks. Bids under £1,000 do not need GAP registration.

We fund projects lasting up to 24 months.

• Up to £200 for individuals, no GAP score required
• Up to £1,000 for all groups, no GAP score required
• Up to £5,000 for all groups with GAP score 1 or above
• Up to £10,000 for groups with GAP score 2 or above
• Up to £25,000 for groups with GAP score 4 or 5

Fill in the application form and email it as a Word Document (not a photo, JPG or PDF) to communityplusfund@kirklees.gov.uk.

Individuals or small groups bidding for up to £1,000 do not need GAP registration. However, you may be asked to show evidence of any relevant safeguarding policy, public liability insurance or risk assessment if we think this is necessary. For example, if your project involves vulnerable people or has elements which are deemed to be of high risk.

You must accept full responsibility for all your funded activities and the safety and well-being of the participants, staff, volunteers, equipment, premises or project location.

Yes. If the existing project is already being successfully delivered, and you want to extend and upscale its offering and improve its reach and inclusivity for potential beneficiaries. Groups who have previously had funding from Community Plus, cannot apply for a grant for the same project. This is due to limited funding being available, increasing demand and the ethos of the Fund being to encourage, develop and inspire new community activity.

Yes. You need to be able to show us proof of valid and appropriate DBS checks for anyone involved in your project, paid or voluntary. It will need to be an Enhanced DBS check for anyone who could encounter under 18s or vulnerable adults as part of the funded project.

Eligible bids are considered by two panels of council managers, Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) representatives and other partners.

Bids up to £10,000 go to Small Panel and bids over £10,000 go to Large Panel.

Small Panel is chaired by a Community Plus Service Manager and attended by VCS representatives and team managers.

Large Panel is chaired by Head of Local Integrated Partnerships and attended by VCS representatives and service managers. You will be contacted within a few working days with the outcome of your application.

No. Funding only covers costs directly associated with the project in your bid. If your project aims or outcomes change significantly, you must return to Panel with a new bid.

No. You can include more than one activity if you can suitably demonstrate the overall bid has a cohesive theme, and financial structure and it will be managed as a single project.

Grants under £5,000 are paid in full into your bank account approximately 10 working days after we receive your signed Grant Agreement. Grants over £5,000 will be paid in two instalments; 50% up front and 50% after we have received and signed off with your half-way monitoring.

Yes. Sometimes grant payments overlap financial years. Committed funds are rolled over at year-end and held in a central reserve account to ensure funds are available for your second instalment once we are satisfied with your half-way monitoring.

Yes. You must include a breakdown in your bid and if funded, produce receipts where possible. The mileage limit is the current Kirklees Council staff rate, currently 45p / mile.

Volunteers should not be out of pocket for volunteering, and we recommend
organisations have an expenses policy and allocate a budget for volunteer
expenses and include this in any funding applications relating to volunteers.
• Claims made by volunteers should be for expenses incurred and no
more as this could be treated as taxable income. A volunteer could be
classed as an employee or worker if they get any other payment or
reward: https://www.gov.uk/volunteering/pay-and-expenses
• Make it easy and convenient for volunteers to claim and be reimbursed.
Reimburse expenses as soon as possible, by petty cash or alternatively
by BACS payment (but bear in mind some Volunteers might not have a
bank account and may not be able to wait for their expenses to be
reimbursed).
• Evidence of expenditure such as bus ticket or car parking ticket should
be provided by the volunteer as part of your expenses claim form.
• In your expenses policy agree what travel expenses can be claimed and
any limitations. For example, this is likely to include bus fare, second
class rail fare or car mileage (currently capped by HMRC at 45p per
mile) and car parking. Reimbursing taxi fares may be on the discretion
of the Volunteer Co-ordinator or equivalent – for example if a volunteer
has a disability which means they are unable to travel on public
transport. It is advisable to agree a limit on travel expenses claims –
such as a maximum number of miles from your site that a volunteer can
claim their travel (for example you may not be able to reimburse a
volunteer travelling in from Manchester on a regular basis).
• Consider what other types of expenses that a volunteer may incur that
you could reimburse. Such as meal expenses if volunteering over a
mealtime/ or over a certain number of hours. For example, some
organisations offer lunch expenses if volunteering over 4 or 5 hours in
any one session. Ensure a receipt is collected as evidence – this could
be, for example a supermarket meal deal or the ingredients a volunteer
used to make their lunch. Again, it is useful to cap this at a maximum
amount such as £4 per meal.
• Volunteers may also incur other costs such as buying clothing or
equipment to enable them to volunteer (such as gardening gloves),
admin costs (such as stationery, postage or phone calls) or childcare
costs. Consider what/if you are able to reimburse and make this clear.
TSL Kirklees can provide sample volunteer documents such as expenses
forms and a Volunteer Policy template. We also offer a free ‘Volunteer
Management Good Practice’ training session (free of charge).
For more information/help please contact:
Becky Bracey, Volunteer Services Lead becky@tslkirklees.org.uk

No, this is not allowed.

Yes, as part of a project. You must demonstrate future sustainability of the role and its impact, such as the number of beneficiaries and the effect it will have on people’s lives.

You can download your Monitoring Form here:

Under £5k Monitoring Form

Over £5k Monitoring Form

Monitoring is due within 6 weeks of the half-way and end dates of your project. Failure to comply with deadlines or the requirements may result in payments being withheld, some or all the monies being repaid to us and / or ineligibility to receive future Council funding. You will be given the monitoring forms at the beginning of your project so there are no surprises along the way and you can be well-prepared.

We are here to support you along the way, and our Community Coordinators will visit your project and, hopefully, bring along people they are working with.

Yes. Councillors are invited to submit comments and feedback which are presented at Panel with your application.

No. In the same financial year, groups cannot apply for funding in their own right while also being funded as a significant facilitator or contributor on another project funded by the Community Plus Fund.

No. However, we will consider up to 20% of your full application as a contribution towards your core running costs for the duration of the specified project only.

This will need ratification from us prior to publication or distribution.

No.

Any underspend must be returned to the council. By exception, we may consider an underspend being used for other purposes depending on purpose and amount.

Your bid needs to include a plan for sustainability. You cannot re-apply for another Community Plus Fund grant within 12 months of the end date of your funded project.

No.

No.

No. However, you can apply for funding for a different project or activities if you can demonstrate there is no risk of funding being duplicated.

No.

No. Some small capital costs may be considered (competitive quotes may be required) subject to an appraisal of the proposal and its outcomes. We are not able to fund site facilities and large equipment projects for sports clubs or community buildings

No. However, faith organisations can apply to support projects for the common good.

Appeals against a decision made, will be restricted to a material error in the process.

Additional supporting evidence to the original application will not be considered. An independent person at the council who is not involved in the panel process, will undertake this role.

Yes.

Privacy notice for Community Plus Fund (kirklees.gov.uk)

We will fund projects which support the ‘early intervention and prevention’ ethos of mental good health. Projects can offer MH support if you can demonstrate there are partnerships and pathways in place in association with existing statutory provision and governed bodies. You must also demonstrate that you will; use social factors of health to support your approach (such as isolation, housing, access to green spaces); target areas where need is greatest; draw on ‘lived experience’ and wider community to identify solutions and promote equality; work to lessen the stigma associated with MH problems. You must demonstrate the appropriate qualification of potential providers and mechanisms in place for an onward referral pathway as required, on a person-centred basis.

Yes, the monitoring form asks for breakdowns of gender, age, ethnicity and disability so you will need to gather this information as you go along