Brentwood Community Fund 2024
This year’s Brentwood Community Fund is now open for applications and will close at midnight on 22 April 2024.
In partnership with Axis, and Seven Arches Investment Ltd, Brentwood Borough Council invites not-for-profit organisations and individuals to bid for funding for community projects.
Grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 are available for causes and projects delivered between 1 July 2024 and 31 March 2025, that will improve the quality of life for local people and tackle important issues.
For more information about what can be applied for, who can apply and how to apply, please read the full Guidance Notes alongside the Scoring Matrix.
Applicants will be required to complete and attach a Budget Template to their online application form.
All enquiries should be made by emailing localism@brentwood.gov.uk
UK Shared Prosperity Fund
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK government’s ambitious Levelling Up agenda. We have been awarded £1m to support four key intervention areas:
Intervention E1: Funding for improvements to town centres and high streets, including better accessibility for disabled people, including capital spend and running costs
Intervention E6: Support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities
Intervention E10: Funding for local sports facilities, tournaments, teams and leagues to bring people together
Intervention E23: Strengthening local entrepreneurial ecosystems and supporting businesses at all stages of their development to start, sustain, grow and innovate, including through local networks
Funding from government is split between capital and revenue with 5% available in 2022/23, 10% in 2023/24 and 85% in 2024/25. Funding is provided on an annual basis by government.
The UKSPF funding period ends March 2025.
Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone Shop Improvement Scheme
Grants of up to £2k are available for shop front and accessibility improvements. A total of £30k will be distributed to town centre businesses in Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone in 2024. This scheme is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Before you start
We want to make sure that your application is successful. Please complete a short Expression of Interest form to outline the improvements you would like to make to your business premise. We will check with our Planning Department to see if your improvements may require planning consent. If your business is in a listed building and/or located in Brentwood town centre or Ingatestone High Street, there may be planning constraints to consider when undertaking works to your property. Completing an Expression of Interest form is not confirmation that your funding request has been approved.
Who is eligible?
The grant is available to anyone who owns or rents commercial premises in (including registered charities) in these areas:
- Brentwood town centre (including the Brentwood High Street, Kings Road, Ongar Road, Coptfold Road, St Thomas Road, Moores Place, Crown Street and Ingrave Road)
- Shenfield high street (Hutton Road, Shenfield Road)
- Ingatestone high street
What can be funded?
The grant can contribute towards expenditure including:
- replacement shop front, windows and doors
- reinstatement of traditionally styled shop fronts, sash windows and doors
- painting of existing shop fronts and upper floors (including render)
- replacement gutter and downpipes
- replacement signage
- external lighting schemes
- repair and reinstatement of all or any part of a shop front fixture that is visible from the street, including the first and second floors of premises where they are used for commercial activities
- accessibility improvements such as nosing on steps, widening of doorways, ramps for doorways or removal of steps, handrails, portable ramps, power assisted doors, disabled access signs, doorbells and training staff to assist disabled customers
- professional fees
The scheme will not support:
- Improvements to residential property, including residential property located above commercial premises
- Retrospective applications i.e. for work already completed or underway structural repairs including re-roofing
- Internal repairs and alterations
- External security features
Grant funding is limited and will be on a first come first served basis. Applications will close when the funding is fully allocated.
Works must be completed by 31 January 2025.
Grant programme for Brentwood UKSPF interventions E6 and E10
This programme opened for Expressions of Interest on 11 December and closed on 8 January 2024. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full application form by 19 February 2024.
Enquiries should be made to ukspf@brentwood.gov.uk
Brentwood Connected Business Improvement District Small Grab
Brentwood Connected Business Improvement District (BID) has launched a small grant scheme for 2024 that will see up to £20,000 distributed for local project delivery.
Organisations can apply for up to £2,500 per annum for projects that deliver creative and innovative initiatives or events that will have a positive impact within the BID area. Funding of up to £5,000 will be considered for large scale community projects that are delivered across Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone.
Applications can be submitted per quarter and will be scored by a panel of members from the Brentwood Business Partnership (BBP).
Closing date for the first window is Saturday 13 April 2024. Applicants will be notified the week commencing Monday 22 April.
Please read the full criteria and scoring matrix before submitting an application.