A new scheme has been launched in Chesterfield aimed at improving the lives of people in the town, with local voluntary and community organisations being invited to apply for funding.

More than £260,000 will be available over the next two years – including a pot of £118,000 which will be allocated during 2023/24 – as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s new Community Grants Fund.

Local eligible organisations can now apply for support from the fund, which will allocate grants ranging from £500 to £6,000.

The council secured funding for the scheme from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), together with money raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Neighbourhood Portion (CIL).

Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, Councillor Tricia Gilby, said: “We are really pleased to have secured funding that we can share with local organisations to help them make a real difference to our residents. The funding will support the delivery of important projects across the borough – helping to improve life for local people and making sure our communities continue to thrive.

“I urge groups to check if they are eligible and get their application in as soon as possible so that we can start to see this funding make a real difference in our communities.”

The Community Grants Fund 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 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.

The 2023/24 funding will be available in two tranches throughout the year. Applications for the first round of grants is now open – with applications invited by the deadline of Friday 28 April.

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

Further details, including the full eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found at www.chesterfield.gov.uk/community-grants-fund

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.