£5,000 - £10,000 revenue community grant
This grant is currently closed for applications and will reopen in 2025. in the meantime, please read the grant information and contact us to discuss your project idea.
Before applying, we encourage potential applicants to contact us first to discuss your project idea. You can contact the Community Investment Team by email: communitygrant@believehousing.co.uk, call us on 0300 1311 999, or complete an expression of interest form at the bottom of this page.
We accept applications from not-for-profit groups including Registered and exempt charities, Community groups, Schools, Social enterprises, Voluntary groups, Community Interest Companies, Town, Parish or Community Councils and Faith groups/venues.
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept applications from Individuals, Party political groups, Private companies, or ‘for-profit’ organisations and those whose objectives and ethos do not meet believe housing’s charitable objectives.
You group/organisation needs to have a group bank account (not in an individual person’s name), with two unrelated signatories, as well as a signed constitution or relevant governing document.
When considering our grant, please read the following criteria carefully.
We welcome applications for projects that meet one of our key themes:
- Tackling inequalities as a result of the rising cost of living.
- Health and wellbeing: improving mental and physical health, as well as building the confidence of individuals.
- Employability and training: including volunteering and other upskilling activities.
- Increasing household income: activities including debt and benefit advice, feeding families, and employing people.
- A greener, fairer future: by reducing, reusing, and recycling.
Applicants can apply for funds between £5,000 – £10,000. The total grant allocation for this open call is £60,000, the allocation will be spread equally between central, east, and west areas of County Durham where believe housing have properties.
Projects must be for revenue costs only, this can include:
- Setting up of classes, sessions, activities, and events for the community.
- Buying equipment for a community-based activity, that does not qualify as capital.
- On costs of the project for example, staff time, sessional workers, equipment, and resources required to deliver the project. Room hire costs are also acceptable but not exceeding 50% of the total request.
- Providing refreshments, snacks, and meals as part of an activity.
- Marketing and promotion to increase participation in activities.
- Travel costs which are integral to an activity.
- Project management costs, not exceeding 10% of the overall project value.
We are unable to accept applications for the Community Revenue Grant to support:
- Capital costs (e.g. a new roof)
- Ongoing running costs of an organisation e.g. utility bills and insurance
- Items that are purchased on behalf of another organisation.
- Applications to develop the financial reserves of the organisation.
- Religious, party political or lobbying activities (non-religious and multi-faith activities may be funded)
- Loans or debt repayments
- Projects and activities for personal profit.
A minimum of 30% of beneficiaries need to be believe housing tenants to satisfy the criteria. We will ask you to demonstrate how you will meet this and if successful, we will ask you to report on this.
To be eligible for the Revenue Grant, it is expected that your project would last 6 to 12 months. Priority will be given to projects that can demonstrate sustainability beyond the funding period. If awarded, projects need to start within a month of receiving the first payment instalment.
There is one open call for the Revenue Grant per year and it is likely to be oversubscribed, so please consider all the criteria carefully before applying.
locations
All projects must be deliverable in one of our patch areas, these are central Durham, east Durham and west Durham. Please see the list below for a breakdown.
The funding will be split equally across the areas, we ask when completing the application form that you select which area your project will cover.
Some potential projects may have delivery outcomes that overlap in the delivery areas, which may be acceptable, but please discuss this with the Community Investment Team prior to submitting your application.
| Bearpark | Belmont | Bowburn | Brandon |
| Brasside | Cassop | Carrville | Claypath |
| Coxhoe | Browney | Crossgate | Croxdale |
| Elvet | Esh Winning | Framwellgate Moor | Gilesgate |
| Gilesgate Moor | High Pittington | Kelloe | Langley Moor |
| Littletown | Ludworth | Meadowfield | Merryoaks |
| Neville’s Cross | New Brancepeth | Newton Hall | Pity Me |
| Quarrington Hill | Shadforth | Sherburn Village | Sherburn Hill |
| Sherburn Road | Sherburn Road Estate | Ushaw Moor | West Rainton |
| Witton Gilbert |
| Blackhall Colliery | Blackhall Rocks | Hesleden | Acre Rigg |
| Chapel Hill | Denehouse | Eden Hill | Howletch |
| Passfield | Sunny Blunts | Horden | Easington Colliery |
| Easington Village | Shotton Colliery | South Hetton | Haswell |
| Haswell Plough | Hawthorn | Wheatley Hill | Thornley |
| Wingate | Water Avens Village | Station Town | Deaf Hill |
| Trimdon Colliery | Trimdon Village | Byron | Denehouse |
| Deneside | Eastlea | Harbour | Milldale |
| Northlea | Parkside | Princess Road | Seaton |
| Westlea | Dawdon | Murton | Dalton-le-Dale |
| Hutton Henry | Castle Eden | Hetton-le-Hole | Chilton Moor |
| Newbottle | Ryhope |
| Auckland Park | Billy Row | Bishop Auckland | Chilton |
| Coundon | Coundon Grange | Crook | Eldon Lane |
| Escomb | Fir Tree | Frosterley | Howden-le-Wear |
| Hunwick | Leeholme | Oakenshaw | Stanhope |
| Sunnybrow | Tindale Crescent | Tow Law | Wearhead |
| West Auckland | Westgate | Willington | Witton-Le-Wear |
| Wolsingham |
If believe housing agree to award a grant to help fund your project or activity, then you will be required to agree to terms and conditions. To read the full terms and conditions, please click here. https://www.believehousing.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/believe-housing-terms-and-conditions-grants-.pdf
Monitoring of the project must be ongoing. It is essential that you provide quarterly reporting, these include:
- evidence that the purpose for which the grant was awarded was achieved, including a written update detailing progress against targets, milestones, and outcomes. This should also include case studies and photos where possible.
- records of attendance
- data from participant surveys (the details of the survey will be agreed at your start-up meeting)
- a detailed statement of expenditure including receipts and/or evidence of spend e.g. invoices or staff wages claim form.
Unsatisfactory completion of monitoring could result in delayed payment.
If you are unsure if your group or project idea qualifies for this grant, please contact us to discuss. You can contact the Community Investment Team by email: communitygrant@believehousing.co.uk, call us on 0300 1311 999, or complete an expression of interest form.
more about the grant
To help you prepare to make a large grant application please consider the following questions:
- A definitive start date that allows enough time for the appraisal and approval process to be completed before the project starts. (Usually 8-10 weeks after the grant closing date.)
- A definitive end date – not ‘on-going’.
- What are you wanting to do, where and when will it happen and who will take part?
- How do you know there is a need for your project? Do you already have a waiting list of people, or do you have more demand for your service? Have you found a gap in services for the people you support? Have people come to you asking for this support? Do you work with other organisations who will direct people towards your activity? How do you know people will access your project?
- Full costings, including quotes for any capital works. These should be detailed and give us an idea of how you have calculated these costs. For example, staff costs should show the hourly rate for the member of staff and the number of hours they will be working. If you are successful in receiving grant funding, we will require two independent quotes. We strongly recommend that you get accurate costings or an estimate at your application stage.
- Match funding information.
- What are your project milestones? These are the key stages in your project and could be planning, marketing and publicity, purchase of resources, delivery of events, recruitment of volunteers etc.
- What are your targets? How many people will benefit from your activities? Targets should be specific and outline how often an activity takes place – for example, we will deliver weekly craft activities over 40 weeks, 25 people will attend overall with an expected average weekly attendance of 10-12 people.
- What are the outcomes of your project? These are the difference your project will make in the long term. Do your outcomes reflect our priority themes?
- How will you ensure at least 30% of your beneficiaries are believe customers? It is good practice to identify how many believe housing customers you currently have involved in your project, if relevant.
- The project will need to take place in areas believe housing operates in. (LINK)
- If planning or any other permission is required for capital works for the capital grant, this must be approved at application stage. If successful, we will ask for a copy of the planning confirmation.
- What is the long-term impact of your project? If it is to continue beyond our funding period, how will this happen?
If an organisation has been successful in securing a large grant from believe housing (either revenue or capital), they can apply for the same project for one more consecutive year, up to a total of two years funding.
If an organisation is successful in securing funding for two years, they can apply again the following year, but this must be for a different project.
Please note that the funding is very limited and there are no guarantees to an organisation of continuous or multiple funding.
Please speak to a member of the Community Investment Team if you are unsure about your eligibility.
Once you have submitted your application, we will contact you to acknowledge receipt of this application within five working days.
Your application will then be reviewed and be part of a shortlisting process. If your application is shortlisted, this will then go to a grant panel within six weeks of the closing date.
If shortlisted, you will be invited to the virtual grant panel to give a 5-minute overview about your project proposal and answer any questions the panel may have.
The grant panel will be made up of the Assistant Director of Strategy and Improvement, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager and Community Investment Performance Team Leader.
Once a decision has been made, we will then contact you to advise you of the outcome.
You may be asked to provide additional information prior to a final decision being made.
If your application is successful, we will contact you to advise you of this and to arrange a start-up meeting.
You will then receive an agreement letter which is a contractual agreement between your organisation and believe housing for the project delivery.
We will ask you to sign and return the acceptance letter as well as provide us with:
- a copy of the organisation’s bank statement dated within the last three months,
- relevant paying in bank details (name of bank, account name, sort code, account number and business address),
- policies and procedures that will support your project. For example, safeguarding, equality and diversity, health and safety etc,
- a copy of your signed constitution or relevant document.
Once initial checks have been carried out, we will visit you to hold a start-up meeting. This is where we will discuss the details of the project including publicity and quarterly reporting requirements, these include:
- evidence that the purpose for which the grant was awarded was achieved, including a written update detailing progress against targets, milestones, and outcomes. This should also include case studies and photos where possible.
- records of attendance
- data from participant surveys (the details of the survey will be agreed at your start-up meeting)
- a detailed statement of expenditure including receipts and/or evidence of spend e.g. invoices or staff wages claim form.
Grant funding will be paid via BACS in instalments.
If believe housing agree to award a grant to help fund your project or activity, then you will be required to agree to terms and conditions.
To read the full terms and conditions, please click here.
expression of interest form
This form should be used to submit an expression of interest for funding from our revenue grant of up to £10,000. The grant will reopen in September 2025 for a period of 6 weeks.