28 January 2019
Funding to Improve Veterans Community Centres in the UK
Capital grants are available for Armed Forces charities to renovate or refurbish community halls used by veterans and their communities.
This £3 million funding programme is offering grants to Armed Forces charities with an existing building that requires refurbishment.
The funding is intended to help meet a wide range of legal requirement for community centre venues used by veterans. Funding for renovation and refurbishment is a prime concern, especially for older venues that are difficult to bring into line with modern legislation. A community centre should aim to provide a clean, warm, safe and well-maintained facility that meets equality of access and health & safety standards. It should include a main hall, a meeting room, a kitchen, toilets, storage space, sufficient equipment, recycling facilities and appropriate car parking facilities.
There will be three funding rounds. Applications for grants of up to £30,000 can be made during each round whereas grants for up to £150,000 can only be made in the third round. These larger grants are for more complex projects, and it is mandatory that applicants discuss their project with the funder.
Applications will only be accepted from Armed Forces organisations that are registered charities or community interest companies (CIC).
The grants are to be used for capital expenditure, including general repairs, plumbing upgrades, electrical work, new fixtures, updating technology, building work and equipment, and any fees or professional advice required to undertake the works (plus VAT).
Pre-application phone calls for the larger grants can be made from 21 January until 27 September 2019.
The first deadline for applications for the smaller grants is 11 March 2019.