Brent Cross Town, the 180-acre, £8Bn new park town in north London, today opens its Community Fund for the fifth consecutive year. To mark this fifth anniversary, the grant fund for the first time will ask members of the local community for their votes on which initiatives they would like to see supported.
A total of £50,000 will be available to applicants, £10,000 of which will be a special, fifth-anniversary pot of funding that the local community can allocate to their favourite projects and initiatives as part of ‘people’s project’ awards.
The Fund is looking to further increase its reach across the community this year. It will focus on supporting groups that offer activities that provide grassroots climate education / promote a carbon net zero community; support improved local health and wellness; and those that promote an inclusive and socially connected community. Due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, the Fund is also keen to hear from projects that support communities in tackling cost of living pressures.
Local organisations and initiatives based in and around Cricklewood, Childs Hill, Golders Green, and West Hendon will be able to apply for grants of anywhere between £500 and £5,000. Applications to the fund open today, Thursday 18th May and close on Monday 19th June 2023. Opportunities for the local community to vote on ‘people’s project’ awards will then open in early July.
Those eligible to apply for the grant include:
● Informal and formal community groups
● Local charities and local branches of national charities
● Schools and educational organisations
● Not-for-profit organisations
● Residents’ associations
● Social enterprises
All information on how to apply for a grant from the £40,000 Brent Cross Town Community Fund and how to get involved in voting to allocate the additional £10,000 funding for this year’s ‘people’s project’ awards can be found at: brentcrosstown.co.uk/community-fund
Since its inception in 2019, The Brent Cross Town Community Fund has supported 42 small charities, community organisations and entrepreneurial individuals working to make a positive impact in the local area and has awarded £130,000 to local projects. Now a well-established source of local funding, it is estimated that over 14,400 people in the local community have directly benefited from the fund’s investment.
Morwenna Hall, Partner at Related Argent, commented: “To celebrate Brent Cross Town’s Community Fund in its fifth year, we are introducing new ‘people’s project’ awards, which recognise the ongoing support of the growing community in around Brent Cross Town. As part of our continued collaboration with the local community, I’d like to encourage people to cast their votes and help us support more fantastic local groups and initiatives that are working hard to bring inclusive, fun and engaging activities to area, fostering a resilient and active community.”
Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Labour Group, said: “I’m delighted to see the return of the Brent Cross Town Community Fund which has supported a huge number of local projects and initiatives over the last five years. With an increased value of £50k, and applications encouraged that focus on health, wellbeing and community togetherness, I am pleased to see the fund continue to champion projects which will enhance the lives of people living in the local area – I encourage community groups and local people to put forward their ideas and look forward to seeing what comes next.”