Community groups invited to submit bids for council grants

Voluntary, community and sports groups across West Sussex are being invited to get their bids in to a funding pot of more than £400,000.

Another round of Community Initiative Funding has been launched following the success of last year’s scheme where more than 200 groups and organisations across the county received funding totalling nearly £406,000.

The applications and awards - administered by County Local Committees (known as CLCs) - varied from £2,500 for tools and equipment for Bolney Volunteers, £2,778 to provide wet rooms for the Crawley and District Scout Hut and £250 to print brochures for the 11th Selsey Festival.

Some of the CLCs that had money left over allocated some or all of it to their respective local food banks or to the County Council’s Operation Watershed to support community-led projects that reduce the risk of future flooding in West Sussex that could not have otherwise been carried out.

West Sussex County Council cabinet member for corporate relations, Bob Lanzer, who has responsibility for the committees and the Community Initiative Funding, said: “The CLCs, through the use of Community Initiative Funding, provide very welcome support to the local clubs, societies and voluntary groups in their areas when funding from other sources may not be available. These awards help benefit the wider community in making these groups more sustainable or enable them to run events that would not otherwise be able to take place.

“Local voluntary and community groups will be pleased to hear that another £426,000 of CIF is available again in 2014/15 and I would encourage them to submit an application if they need support for a project in their community.”

Applications are considered by the CLCs four times a year and the public are welcome to attend those meetings. Information about how to apply for funding can be found at www.westsussex.gov.uk Applications can be made throughout the year.

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