Council Kills CASH Grants – Say Hello To NIFs

Manchester City Council has killed off its CASH Grant scheme for council wards and replaced it with a new Neighbourhood Investment Fund (NIF) worth £10,000 less per ward.

CASH Grants of £30,000 per year were previously available to each Ward with local councillors deciding on where and how the money was spent. These have now been abolished and replaced withthe NIF that provides up to £20,000 per ward each year.

The new scheme comes into effect immediately from today (Monday 22nd June 2015). Information from Manchester City Council states:

“Local people and community groups can have a huge impact in their community and Manchester City Council remains committed to supporting activity that improves neighbourhoods and enhances peoples lives.”

Application Criteria

The fund is open to established groups, voluntary groups and other community groups, as well as groups of residents working together for the first time. School Parent Teacher Associations can also apply if they have the support of local residents and parents and the project benefits the wider community as well as the school.

Your group must have a bank account in order to receive any approved funding, or have permission from another group to receive the funding for you as a referee. Payment can not be made to personal bank accounts.

NIF funding is available for projects that fall in to the following categories:

Work & Skills
Projects that help people in a community to get back in to work by offering additional learning and opportunities to improve skills. It could also help fund any activities relating to coaching, mentoring or volunteering.

Community Groups
New groups can bid for initial seed funding to get an idea off the ground, become more recognised in the local neighbourhood and actively engage the community with activities. Established groups could also receive one off funding to help support smaller groups and deliver local projects.

Improving the Environment and Increase Recycling
Groups looking to organise community clean ups or planting projects can bid – with special encouragement for ideas focussed on increased recycling and waste reduction in a community.

Other Activities and Events
Applications will be considered for events that benefit the community and support the ward priorities of the local area. Any ideas should be discussed with your local Regeneration Ward Officer before applying.

What you can’t get funding for

Some projects, activities, events or schemes do not fall within the criteria for a neighbourhood investment funds, therefore applications will not be considered for the following:

  • Projects that do not directly benefit Manchester residents;
  • Traffic-calming schemes or CCTV;
  • Projects that simply replace existing facilities with no significant improvement;
  • Projects that improve or benefit privately owned land to which the public have no access and un-adopted roads and footpaths;
  • Projects that have already been completed or will have been by the time the grant is issued;
  • Ongoing revenue funding of staff wages, salaries or expenses or overheads such as rent, leases or utility costs;
  • Projects that only benefit individuals (e.g. qualifications, counselling sessions, professional legal advice etc.);
  • Groups cannot directly benefit financially from their own application (they cannot be a fiscal beneficiary);
  • Purchase of alcohol and gambling activities;
  • Activities of a religious or political nature; or
  • Activities that are contrary to Manchester City Council’s equal opportunities policy.

Assessment

Applications are reviewed by a panel to decide where funds should be allocated. Your Regeneration Ward Officer will keep you updated through the process – each application should not exceed £10,000.

More information on NIF and access to the on-line application is available HERE 

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