In this blog post, we share our five top tips for applying to the Community Grant Scheme. To find out more about the scheme and to apply, click here.
Our Community Grant Scheme opens on 15 January, awarding funding pots of up to £1,000 to groups and individuals for maritime themed community activities.
1. BE SPECIFIC
Give us as much detail as you can about the activity, project, or purchase you are proposing. When you’re describing what you’re going to do with a community grant, be as specific as you can possibly be about:
- What will happen?
- When will it happen?
- Where will it happen?
- Who will you work with and how?
This is especially important if you’re applying for one-off costs for training or equipment, or asking us to fund a smaller part of a bigger project (for example you might apply to us to do some research, try out an activity, or buy a tool that you’ll continue to use). It’s okay to apply for funds that will support your ongoing work – but please do let us know what our grant will pay for and when this will happen.
2. BE REALISTIC
Our community grants are £1,000 each. Activities that we fund must take place in Spring/Summer 2024 and be completed by the end of September 2024.
Please think carefully about what you could really achieve in that time and budget.
Our scheme is designed to support small organisations and individuals, so please don’t feel any pressure to propose activities that are complex or that reach masses of people – we want to fund activities of all sizes and most importantly we want to feel confident that you can deliver what you propose.
3.THINK MARITIME
All applications to the Community Grant Scheme MUST have a maritime link – but you can think creatively about what that might look like for you.
We welcome applications that take a broad approach to what maritime means in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire and particularly welcome projects which uncover hidden stories or focus on themes which have not been covered as much as others.
4. THINK COMMUNITY
We’re looking for proposals with clear links to communities in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.
You might already be a community group yourself, or you might have community partners you’d like to work with.
When you tell us about how your activity will benefit communities, remember to be specific – who will you work with, and how?
Awards won’t be given to proposals that only benefit an individual.
5. SHOW IMPACT
Our final piece of advice is to focus on how your project will benefit people. We want to fund projects that deliver positive impact in our local communities – whether that’s a handful of people, or hundreds.
Have a think about what difference your activity will make. How will your work have impact, for yourselves, or for others?
Even better, take a look at our guidance to learn more about our project aims and what difference we’re working to make in Hull and the wider region. Show us how the activity you’re proposing will contribute to that, for the strongest possible application.
So, those are our five top tips.
BE SPECIFIC
BE REALISTIC
THINK MARITIME
THINK COMMUNITY
SHOW IMPACT.
Hull Maritime Community Grant Scheme is accepting applications from Monday 15 January – 23 February 2024.
All the information about our grant scheme, and answers to Frequently Asked Questions, are available here.
We’ll also be posting more tips and insights online over the application window. Look out on our website or contact Emma Smith, our Community Engagement Officer, with any further questions. emma.smith@hcandl.co.uk
