Kent County Council Combined Member Grant Scheme Kayley Phillips and Will Farmer Community Engagement Officers for Dartford and Gravesham

KCC’s Community Engagement Team – our role We inform, consult and involve Kent’s residents and community groups in the work and decisions of the County Council by supporting local County Councillors (known as County Members) in their role as community leaders fostering good relationships with districts and local organisations so that local people can be involved in, and influence, decisions that affect their lives and everyone has an opportunity to have their say A process of informing, consulting and involving

KCC’s Community Engagement Team – our role Raising awareness of KCC services and consultations Signposting local contacts, making links, building positive relationships and supporting key local partnerships Providing information, advice and support on  funding  setting up new groups  social enterprises  etc Managing KCC’s Member grants on behalf of local County Councillors (known as “Members”)

84 County Members represent 72 divisions across Kent (excluding Medway) Did You Know? You can search for your local County Member(s) using the Find Your Councillor facility on KCC’s website Some Members are “Twin Hatters” – this means they have been elected to both the County Council and local Borough/District Council

The Challenge Ahead: Help Balance Kent’s Budget  Need to find further savings of £273 million over the next 3 years KCC’s Local Member Grants have already changed !! Times, they are a-changing!

KCC’s Local Member schemes Member Community Grants – £10,000 per County Member Plus Local Schemes Grants Plus Small Community Capital Projects Member Highway Fund

Combined Member Grant scheme From 2014/15 onwards This replaces all previous KCC Member funding schemes Each County Member has £25,000 per year to allocate  Can be used to support local highway projects  Can be awarded as community grants  Or a mixture of both Some Members allocate grants through participatory budgeting Contact the local County Member(s) before you apply If you need any help with your application, contact the local Community Engagement Officer

Combined Member Grant scheme

Examples of recent community grants

Who can and can’t apply? YES Voluntary & community organisations, local charities, parish/town/district councils, youth clubs, uniformed groups (eg scouts and brownies), sports clubs, schools, religious/faith groups, CIC’s. Religious/faith groups must show how the project will bring wider benefit beyond their immediate faith communities Schools and public authorities can only apply for activities that are not covered by core funding (eg extra-curricular activities) NO Local government regulations do not permit KCC Member grants to be awarded to individuals or party political groups Private-sector / profit-making organisations are not eligible to apply Schools cannot apply for grants for statutory curriculum delivery or teaching materials

What we want to know What is your project? Why is it needed? What difference will it make? Who will benefit from it? How much funding is needed and how will it be used?

Key points to note Should be a properly constituted organisation/group Bank account with at least two (unrelated) authorised signatories Grant awards are made via a one off BACs transfer Match funding is not required  KCC Combined Member Grants can help to secure other funding! Grants are one off and unlikely to support requests for  running costs (eg salaries, rent, utilities, insurance etc)  repeat, replacement, retrospective or duplicate funding

Top tips Ensure  you apply to the right Member(s)  you are applying in the correct financial year  your project is achievable within the timescales stated We recommend that  you apply 2-3 months before the project is due to start  any necessary permissions are in place before you apply  you contact the local Community Engagement Officer to discuss any projects that are complicated or last longer than a year

The application form Read the guidance before completing the application form Check your application before you submit it  Are the project objectives clear  Ensure all the questions have been answered  Ensure the costs add up  Provide any supporting information you have mentioned  Include an address that you check regularly and a telephone number where we can reach you during office hours Keep a copy of your completed application  You will need it later when we monitor your grant

Next steps An online application form will be provided shortly, but other versions (eg Word, hard copy and accessible formats) are still available on request. More information is available at: grants-and-funding/combined-members-grant Don’t forget to speak to the local Community Engagement Officer about your project before you apply say/community-engagement

Who is your local Community Engagement Officer? Ashford – Annette Haigh Canterbury –Shuna Body Dartford –Kayley Phillips Dover – Shuna Body Gravesham – Will Farmer Maidstone – Abi Jessop Sevenoaks – Jennie Edwards & Emma Carey (job share) Shepway – Allison Allan Swale – Bill Ronan Thanet – Anne Charman Tonbridge & Malling – James Harman Tunbridge Wells – Bill Ronan

Any questions?