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Funding in Cumbria

Many funders in Cumbria will fund projects taking place in places of workship:

Cumbria Community Foundation: CCF is a County wide organisation that distributes grants on behalf of 34 funders and aims to improve the quality of life for people experiencing disadvantage in Cumbria by making grants to local charities; promoting charitable giving by organisations and individuals; and managing grant-making funds on behalf of individuals and organisations. You make one application to the foundation and they match the application to the grant fund most suited to your particular project.

Cumbria County Council: CCC makes small grants available (across Cumbria through neighbourhood forums. Grants are available for voluntary, non-profit making and community groups for community based projects on an area basis. Previous grants have been awarded to playgroups, resident's action groups, sports groups, youth clubs, environmental groups, community centres and local charities, for a range of projects including: setting up costs, educational toys, newsletters, notice boards, craft equipment, food co-ops, emergency information, pantomimes and summer play schemes. Neighbourhood Forums deal with their grants in different ways and can also have slightly differing budgets. It's always worth having a chat with the Neighbourhood Development Officer for the area your project will be in.

Cumbria County Council also runs a Community Waste Prevention Fund which offers grants of up to £15,000 to support new and innovative waste prevention initiatives, which work directly with the community to encourage the key practices of reduce, reuse and recycle.  50% match funding is required, but this can be in the form of volunteer time rather than hard cash.

South Lakeland District Council offers Disability Access Grants including for places of worship.

Coalfields Trust: The trust offers grants of between £500 and £300,000 towards socio-economic projects in recognised coalfield communities in West Cumbria.

Northern Rock Foundation has recently refocussed its grant giving criteria. 

Copeland Community Fund : An agreement between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Cumbria County Council and Copeland Borough Council means that £1.5M per year will be available to support socio-economic projects in the communities affected by the Drigg Low Level Waste Repository.

National Parks and AONBs

If your project will bring social, environmental and economic benefits to a National Park or Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you can apply to the relevant sustainable development fund:
 
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