Energy, Food and Community Support Fund

What types of organisations can apply?

You can apply for a grant if you are a:

• constituted voluntary or community organisation
• registered charity
• not-for-profit company including community interest companies where the majority of directors receive no payment from the company

You need to be a:

• local or regional organisation 
• local branch of a national organisation with a local management committee based in Wiltshire and your own bank account

Your organisation must have:

• an active voluntary management committee with at least three people who are not:
  • related to each other or in a long-term relationship
  • living at the same address

Your organisation needs the following financial arrangements and documents:

• a bank account with two signatories that are not related to each other
• less than 12 months running costs in unrestricted reserves. This means in your end of year financial accounts, unrestricted reserves (not including designated funds) must be less than your expenditure
• financial records or accounts
• a recent bank statement
• a constitution
• a Safeguarding Policy and an Equal Opportunities Policy.  Further guidance is available here

If you don't have any of the documents mentioned above please talk to us and we will help.

New organisations who do not have the above in place may be able to apply through another charitable organisation. 

What can I apply for and how much?

How much can I apply for?

• Grants are from £500 with no upper limit. However, please note that funds are limited and the need is widespread
• Applications will be checked against programme priorities and urgency of funding need, based on funding or timing of grant. If your project is time sensitive please contact us to discuss
• Funds need to be fully spent and reported on by 31 March 2024
• Groups who already have any other grant with us can apply

What can the grant pay for?

For this particular fund we can’t accept applications for an organisation’s core costs. Funding should contribute directly to the provision of support with:

• Household utility bills - energy, water, broadband and phone
• Household items - fridges, freezers, ovens, slow cookers, heaters
• Other household items - clothing, blankets, curtains, draft excluders
• Access to food - food parcels, supermarket vouchers, lunch clubs, community meals, food initiatives such as cookery courses
• Transport costs support - to and from community activities, community transport, repairing a car, repairing or buying a bicycle
• Providing warm space during the winter

You can include an element of overhead costs in your application but the majority of funding should be spent on direct support.

Organisations that are wishing to apply for a grant to support a food bank or food pantry should contact Wiltshire Council directly for HSF4 funding via their Strategic Engagement Partnership Manager (SEPM). You can find the contact details for your local SEPM here.

Who must benefit from the grant?

The project must support people living in the Wiltshire Council area.

This grant programme cannot fund:

• grants solely for an organisations core costs
• projects delivered outside the Wiltshire Council area
• activities which duplicate an existing service
• one-off or sponsored events
• the advancement of religion
• medical research and equipment
• animal welfare
• party political activities

Who we don't fund:

• individuals directly
• schools
• statutory bodies such as city, county or parish councils or health institutions
• charities who operate nationally