Chesterfield community grants Archives - Destination Chesterfield

Transition Chesterfield opens Eco Hub thanks to community funding

11th October 2023

Transition Chesterfield has benefited from Chesterfield Borough Council’s community grant funding, enabling them to open an Eco Hub in the town.

Based on Low Pavement in Chesterfield, the Eco Hub is a pilot project that will work with residents to:

Improve their awareness of ‘Transition Chesterfield’ and the aims and objectives of the community group
Improve their awareness of climate action and the protection of the environment
Improve their understanding of net zero and a more sustainable Chesterfield
Access further learning and volunteer opportunities

Transition Chesterfield was one of the local organisations to benefit from the first round of funding, receiving £2,500 to open the new hub in the town centre.

The Eco Hub is initially open every Friday from 10am to 12.30pm until May 2024 and may open at other times if successful in recruiting enough volunteers.

The Hub at Low Pavement itself is open most days though for other community-based activities.

A total of £59,965 has been awarded to 16 local groups via the council’s new Community Grants Funding scheme so far, and applications for the second round of funding are now open.

The council is looking for grant applications from community groups and local voluntary organisations in Chesterfield and surrounding areas who have climate focused projects to deliver.

Karl Deakin, a volunteer with Transition Chesterfield, said: “We’re excited to win this funding which gives us a much-needed base for our activities. Our hub project will encourage interest and participation amongst residents to reduce their carbon footprint. It’s also a great opportunity for people to volunteer to help our environment and meet new people.”

Councillor Martin Stone, cabinet member for climate change, planning, and environment said: “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges humanity faces worldwide, and it needs us all to consider how we can make individual changes to our routines as well as how we can will make substantial changes in the borough of Chesterfield.

“Community groups can play a huge part in helping to educate and inform our communities so we would love to hear about any local project ideas that could benefit from the available grant funding.

“Chesterfield Borough Council has more than £118,000 available to eligible local groups in this financial year (2023/24) so we are encouraging as many people as possible to find out more about the scheme and submit an application.”

The funding allocated through the grant scheme will support local groups to deliver projects that will build resilient, healthy, and safe neighbourhoods, as well as initiatives which will help reduce the borough’s impact on the climate and wider environment by promoting greener choices.

Funding can also be used by community projects to develop volunteering opportunities, help people prepare to get in to work, and to support organisations to expand their reach into different areas of the borough.

Grants range from £500 to £6,000, and the deadline for applications for phase two is Friday 27 October.

Further information about the Community Grant Scheme, including details of how to apply can be found on the council’s website: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/community-grants-fund.

Funding for Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Grants Scheme has been successfully secured from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).

The community grants are just one initiative which is benefiting from funding through the UKSPF, after the council was successful in securing £2.6m from the Government. It will fund initiatives up to April 2025, which are designed to improve life for local people and support local businesses.

Chesterfield community groups urged to apply for grant funding

2nd October 2023

Community groups and voluntary organisations are reminded to check if they are eligible for grant funding from a scheme designed to help boost grassroots projects.

Over £59,900 of funding has already been allocated to organisations across the borough as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s Community Grants Fund – and applications are still open, giving even more eligible groups the chance to apply.

With grants ranging from £500 to £6,000, the Community Grants Fund scheme aims to support local projects that will help to build resilient, healthy, and safe neighbourhoods, as well as initiatives which will help reduce the borough’s impact on the climate and wider environment by promoting greener choices.

Funding can also be used to develop volunteering opportunities, help people prepare to get in to work, and to support organisations to expand their reach into different areas of the borough.

Further information can be found at: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/community-grants-fund

The scheme is already helping to fund 16 projects across the borough – ranging from funding new equipment, setting up new community groups, refurbishing community hubs, helping deliver programmes to help develop skills and employability, providing volunteering opportunities, and running workshops to help with mental health issues.

The deadline for community groups and voluntary organisations to submit an application is Friday 27 October.

Alongside the Community Grants Fund, the council is also running a community development project which will provide support to organisations wishing to apply for a grant.

Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Councillor Tricia Gilby, said: “We are really pleased to have secured this funding – it will support the delivery of important projects across the borough. We’ve already been able to provide 16 groups with funding since we launched the scheme earlier this year and are looking forward to watching those projects progress.

“I strongly urge other groups in our community to check if they are eligible and get their application in before the deadline so that we can make sure our communities continue to thrive.

“If you are unsure if you are eligible or would some support and guidence with submitting a bid, you can talk to our team who will be more than happy to help. You can contact them by emailing communitygrants@chesterfield.gov.uk or calling 01246 959657.”

Funding for the grants scheme has been successfully secured from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).