Mendip Hills Fund opens for Community and Environmental Grants

Could a grant of up to £2,000 help your local project? The Mendip Hills Fund is open for applications between 1st October and 2nd December with all the applications going to the panel in January regardless of when they are submitted between those dates.

Grants will be awarded to support community and voluntary group projects that want to:

• Help their local wildlife
• Get their community involved in a project
• Support social and economic initiatives like improving community facilities  
• Support for start-up of social enterprises, e.g. local food initiatives

Grants of up to £2,000 are available for projects in the Mendip Hills National Landscape and through East Mendip to Frome. Last year the fund was able to award £12,450 to 9 different projects.

Jim Hardcastle, Mendip Hills National Landscape Manager said, ‘It’s more important than ever to help nature across the Mendip Hills but funds can also be awarded for projects that help people in the area as well. Recently the fund helped scout groups, two art projects and gave opportunities for isolated people to help with conservation work, so a little bit of money can really help create strong community networks. The fund has really loyal contributors and we thank them for their continued support. Recent contributions have been strong and we are able to open the fund in a good position.’

The fund is supported by ‘visitor-giving’ schemes such as local campsites, outdoor activity centres and event organisers making a donation.

The fund was set up with the Mendip Hills National Landscape Partnership and Somerset Community Foundation. If you are running a project in the Mendip area and you are not sure if you fit the criteria for application to the Mendip Hills Fund, please visit Somerset Community Foundation web site or call Jim Hardcastle, Mendip Hills National Landscape Team 01761 462338 or SCF Programmes Manager Kirsty Campbell on 01749 344949. You can apply online anytime between 1st October and 2nd December Mendip Hills Fund – Somerset Community Foundation (somersetcf.org.uk)