Rcc

RCC is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1077645).

RCC is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales that exists to further charitable purposes for the benefit of people who live or work in the rural areas and communities of Leicestershire and Rutland. Its mission is to ensure that everyone who works and lives in those rural communities has access to sustainable and inclusive opportunities, services and facilities, and is empowered to influence and manage their future. Its work divides into Community Engagement and Voluntary Sector Support, which provides voluntary sector infrastructure services and support, and the distribution of third-party grants to the voluntary sector. It states that it has distributed grants in excess of £70,000 to rural community projects across the Borough.

Priority Areas

The RCC administers council-funded grant schemes through the Hinckley & Bosworth VCS Partnership for voluntary and community organisations, from small groups to larger established organisations. The Making a Difference Fund supports new projects and helps VCS groups increase their impact; the Community Volunteering Fund supports grassroots volunteering and community activity. The programmes encourage projects tackling rural isolation or digital poverty, engaging young people positively across all communities, and addressing climate change. For the Making a Difference Fund, eligible applicants are charities or constituted not-for-profit community groups operating in the Borough, and they must show community benefit or an unmet need. The RCC delivers these partner-funded schemes rather than making grants from its own funds or reserves.

Themes

• Rural isolation
• Digital poverty
• Young people
• Climate change
• Grassroots volunteering

Geographic Focus

Leicestershire and Rutland; Hinckley & Bosworth Borough.

For the Making a Difference Fund, applicants email their completed application form and accompanying documents to ktaylor@ruralcc.org.uk.

Deadlines: Several application deadlines are set within the funding cycle.

Who can apply:

• Making a Difference Fund
  • To be eligible, you need to be a group active within Hinckley & Bosworth Borough who are working towards meeting the needs of residents and the wider community.
  • A Charity or a constituted ‘not for profit’ community group.
  • Operating within the Hinckley & Bosworth Borough.
  • Able to clearly show how a grant will be used for community benefit or to meet unmet need in the Borough.
  • Able to evidence planned expenditure (excluding staff costs) and details of any other fundraising (if required).

What to send:

• Making a Difference Fund
  • Provide evidence of any permissions or consents required to deliver the project or activity.
  • Provide a full evidenced costed breakdown of project or activity costs.
  • Provide sources and supporting documents for matched funding, if used.
  • Attach any appropriate evidence to support the application.

What the charity says:

• The fund encourages applications tackling rural isolation or digital poverty.
• Applications for activities or projects connecting positively with young people across all communities are especially welcome.
• The fund encourages projects that support initiatives tackling climate change.
• Applicants should clearly show how a grant will be used for community benefit or to meet unmet need in the Borough.