Greenham Common Trust announces up to £140k for local community projects in a Dragon’s Den competition

A community project could walk away with up to £115,000 if they can persuade a panel of experts and the public to back their bid in a Dragon’s Den style competition this autumn.

The Trust’s Pitch to the Panel event will form part of The Greenham Exchange – Getting the Community Together – an evening of celebration and networking for the local voluntary sector on Thursday November 12
at the Corn Exchange in Newbury.

As an antedote to the austerity cuts which are impacting services across the UK, the Trust is teaming up with the Newbury Weekly News to invite local charities and community organisations from across West Berkshire and north Hampshire to apply for their chance to secure crucial cash for a capital project or new scheme.

Pitch to the Panel is now open to applications for under £15,000 (minor projects) and over £15,000 (major projects) through www.findmeagrant.org and in order to qualify, minor projects need to have raised £1,000 and major projects £2,000 (including Gift Aid and Trust Top Up match funding on donations through findmeagrant) by August 31, 2015.  The closing date for applications for Pitch to the Panel is Friday 31st July.    

A shortlist of six projects (three minor and three major) will be selected and published on the Trust's website and in the Newbury Weekly News and its sister website www.newburytoday.co.uk between October 15 and November 11. During this time the public can vote for their favourite project via www.pitchtothepanel.com.  Shortlisted applicants will present their projects to the expert panel and the public audience on November 12. As the panel deliberates how much of the £100,000 grant to award the six shortlisted applications, the public audience will get a chance to vote and raise further cash for their favourite project through the Trust’s Public Top Up.

• The Trust will award up to £100,000 at the Pitch to the Panel event
• The Trust will award up to £10,000 in Public Top Up (£1 per vote) made on its website between October 15 and November 11.  
• The Trust will award up to £30,000 in Top Up Match funding on public and local company donations via www.findmeagrant.org to the six shortlisted applications (a maximum of £5,000 for each application). 

This means the total available Pitch to the Panel pot is £140,000.

The Trust’s Chief Executive, Chris Boulton, said: “We are really looking forward to a fantastic evening for the local voluntary sector. Pitch to the Panel is an exciting opportunity to help local projects meet their fundraising targets through findmeagrant and walk out the door on November 12 with some significant funding. We are looking for projects that will make a real difference in the community and give the public an opportunity to support those which mean the most to them.”
 
Local companies and individuals can also donate to any of the six shortlisted projects via findmeagrant. A £10 personal donation will receive Gift Aid (subject to eligibility) and Trust Top-Up match funding on the donation (subject to a maximum of £5,000 per application), meaning that a £10 donation could generate £22.50 towards the project.

Tickets to The Greenham Exchange will be free of charge and will be available on-line via Greenham Common Trust’s website from October.

The evening will feature a keynote speech by Debra Allcock-Tyler, the Chief Executive of the Directory for Social Change and the latest exciting news about the Trust’s fundraising website www.findmeagrant.org.

For further details of the event and full terms and conditions please visit www.pitchtothepanel.com or email [email protected].

The panel

Debra Allcock Tyler – Chief Executive, Directory for Social Change
David Bailey – Non Executive Director, Greenham Common Trust
Andrew McKenzie – Managing Director, the Vineyard Group
Andy Murrill – Editor, Newbury Weekly News
Ann Santry – Chief Executive, Sovereign Housing Association

Terms and conditions for applications to Pitch to the Panel

• Projects must be for charitable purposes.
• All applicants must email [email protected] quoting their application number (given when you create an application on www.findmegrant.org asking if they can be considered for Pitch to the Panel.
• Projects must be for the benefit of people in West Berkshire and north Hampshire (in the following ward areas: East Woodhay, Burghclere, Highclere & St Mary Bourne, Kingsclere, Tadley Central, Tadley South, Baughurst & Tadley North and Pamber & Silchester).
• Projects should be for capital items, or provision of a new service, not funding for existing services.
• Applications must be made on www.findmeagrant.org and must include supporting documents showing evidence of the project costs.
• There will be two categories for applications – minor and major – further details of which are given below.
• Successful applicants will be asked to sign full Terms and Conditions of grant aid.  The grant will only be paid once the applicant raises the balance of funds and confirms that the project is going ahead.
• The applicant shall cooperate fully with Greenham Common Trust regarding publicity.
• The closing date for applications to be made on-line at www.findmeagrant.org is 31 July 2015.

Minor funding application criteria
•    Funding required – up to £15k.
•    To be eligible for the shortlist applicants need to have raised at least £1000 (including Gift Aid and Trust Top Up) via findmeagrant by 31 August 2015.
•    Project to be delivered by 31 December 2016.

Major funding application criteria
•    Funding required over £15k. There is no upper limit however applicants should bear in mind the total funds available at the event.
•    To be eligible for the shortlist applicants need to have raised at least £2000 (including Gift Aid and Trust Top Up) via findmeagrant by 31 August 2015.
•    Project to be delivered by 30 June 2017.