SSEN calls on Chichester, Midhurst, Petworth and Bognor areas to apply to £1m funding pot ahead of closing date

SSE Networks - Community Engagement - Perthshire. Picture Shows; Members of SSE's Community Liaison Team with members of the public in Blairgowrie ,Thursday, 27 September 2018

©Stuart Nicol Photography, 2018 — SSE Networks - Community Engagement - Perthshire. Picture Shows; Members of SSE's Community Liaison Team with members of the public in Blairgowrie ,Thursday, 27 September 2018 ©Stuart Nicol Photography, 2018

The deadline date for applications is Wednesday 1 June 2022 and the distribution operator is keen to make sure as many eligible groups in Bognor Regis and the Chichester District apply.

Applications are invited from communities for grants available from £1,000 up to £20,000 and in exceptional cases - involving multi-year and multi-community applications and funding up to a maximum of £50,000 will be considered.

The distribution operator is encouraging local communities to apply to the fund ahead of its closing date next month.

Now in its eighth year, SSEN’s Resilient Communities Fund has been boosted to £1 million in recognition of the difficulties some communities across central southern England experienced in the face of the recent adverse weather and aims to assist in helping them build and strengthen their resilience.

Morven Smith, Head of Community Investment for SSEN, said: "SSEN has increased this year’s funding pot to its highest ever level in a bid to help communities across central southern England to enhance the strength and resilience of their residents in times of adverse weather and emergency situations.

“As we have seen, year on year since the Resilient Communities Fund launched, communities are using the funding available to them to work collectively, protecting vulnerable members of the community and building on the resources needed locally to provide all residents with robust support in difficult times.

“This year’s higher level of funding will give more communities the chance to confidently respond to situations created by adverse weather events and emergencies. I want to encourage all eligible groups, organisations and charities to look at how the fund could benefit their local area and get their applications in to us ahead of the 1 June deadline.”

To find out more about the Resilient Communities Fund, read SSEN’s annual fund reports and apply for funding, please visit https://www.ssen.co.uk/RCF/.