Wessex Water Foundation Community Grants
The Wessex Water Foundation Community Fund aims to support community-based activities or projects that meet a local need and seek to improve the lives of local people who are most in need of support. These activities or projects should be informed by the people or community it seeks to serve and have considerable reach, with priority given to work that fulfils one of more of the following:
- takes place in areas of multiple deprivation or rural isolation where people lack access to local services
- helps build stronger communities - enabling people to work together and create solutions to local challenges
- helps people to take steps to manage or avoid debt and build their financial capability. This can include activities that raises awareness and take up of utility affordability support, such as the Wessex Water schemes
We will prioritise applicants whose annual income has been on average under £500,000 for the last three years. This programme is targeted at groups and organisations where a small amount of money can make a significant difference, so we will consider your access to other sources of funding and prioritise where it can make the biggest impact.
The fund particularly welcomes applications from groups led by Black, Asian and minoritised communities.
Please note: Swindon and some surrounding areas are not served by Wessex Water and therefore groups in these areas are not eligible to apply for this fund. If you are unsure, please check with us before applying.
Programme guidelines are available here
Application question guidance notes are available here
What types of organisations can apply?
You can apply for a grant if you are a:
- voluntary and community groups with charitable aims
- registered charity
- community interest company*
- town or parish councils
- school if you can demonstrate community benefit
You must also have a board or committee with at least three members who are not related to each other, in a long-term relationship or living at the same address.
*If your group is a Community Interest Company (CIC) you must be limited by guarantee and have a minimum of 3 directors, with the majority not receiving payment from the company.
To apply organisations must be based and working in the area of Wiltshire covered by Wessex Water.
We do not normally fund organisations which are holding more than 12 months of annual expenditure in unrestricted reserves. If your organisation is holding significant reserves, please make clear why these reserves cannot be used to cover the cost of the activity.
*If your group is a Community Interest Company (CIC) you must be limited by guarantee and have a minimum of 3 directors, with the majority not receiving payment from the company.
You must also have a board or committee with at least three members who are not related to each other, in a long-term relationship or living at the same address.
Previous Applications
You cannot apply to this grants programme if you have already received other Wessex Water funding within the last 12 months. If you are a debt advice agency in receipt of Wessex Water core funding, please contact us before you apply (e.g. Christians Against Poverty projects or Citizens Advice).
Your organisation will need to provide the following:
- A copy of your constitution/governing document that sets out the purpose of your organisation and how it is managed.
- Evidence of a bank account in the name of the organisation. The bank account must have at least 2 signatories. Evidence of your account can be a copy of a recent bank statement that is no more than 3 months old. This can be a scanned paper statement, or a copy downloaded from an online account. We need to see the bank name, your organisation's name, the address where statement go, date of statement, the account number and the sort code. You may redact transactions if needed.
- A copy of your most recent annual accounts or financial records that show your organisation’s balance of funds, income, and expenditure.
- An up-to-date safeguarding policy for your organisation. This is required even if you don’t work directly with children or vulnerable adults. For guidance, please see https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/safeguarding
Apart from the bank statement, you do not have to send these if you have already sent these documents in the last 6 months to the Community Foundation
If you are not a formal group, and cannot provide the above, you will need to have another organisation apply for the funds in their own name.
Which types of project are eligible for funding?
You can apply for a grant for:
You can apply for a grant towards a new activity or continuing something you are already doing. We don’t award a grant towards work that has already been undertaken and you should plan to start spending the grant within six months of when it was awarded.
A grant can be towards any reasonable costs for your organisation or project including:
- core or running costs
- project and activity costs
.
How much can I apply for?
You can apply for a grant for up to £4,000 for work covering a period of up to 12 months.
What we do not fund
- Applications from individuals
- Onward grants to individuals
- National organisations or those based outside the region
- General appeals including for capital building projects
- Activities the government and other public bodies currently have a statutory responsibility to provide
- Groups or activities that are giving support to a political party
- Activities intending to influence people’s religious choices
- Activities that solely support animal welfare
- Arts or sports projects with no significant community or charitable element
- Events
- Schools. However, PTAs and ‘friends of’ groups are eligible to apply for activities which are not statutory provision
- Medical research, equipment, or treatment
- Costs incurred before a grant can be awarded
- Activities that raise funds for other organisations
Applicants whose project is primarily focused on environmental themes are advised to apply to the Wessex Water Foundation Environment Fund, opening in May 2025
What will happen next?
Once we have received your application (including all supporting documents) it will be assessed by a member of staff. They may contact you for further information or to arrange to meet to discuss the application in more detail. The application will then go to a community panel for a decision. Decisions on applications will be shared in early December.
Please make sure your Trustees are aware that this application has been submitted.
Monitoring and Evaluation
All successful applicants will be sent an End of Grant report after the stated project completion date. This form asks for details of how the grant was spent and what was achieved.
Programme guidelines are available here
Application question guidance notes are available here
This programme opens for applications on 23 September and closes on 18 October.