Lewisham Council, which launched its NCIL community funds scheme in May, has funding available for local and borough-wide community projects delivered by individuals, organisations and partnerships. Small grants up to £35,000, or larger grants up to £100,000 are available.
Attend an online workshop to hear how the fund works and how you can apply: Thursday 24 June, 1.30pm-3.00pm
For full details of the fund, guidance on how to apply and to register for the workshop: https://communityfunding.lewisham.gov.uk/ For dates of further workshops, please check the website in the next week, or email NCILfund@lewisham.gov.uk or call 020 8314 6595
This fund is different to the ward-based NCIL, which will be launched later this year. For all enquiries relating to the NCIL Fund, please email NCILfund@lewisham.gov.uk or call 020 8314 6595.
Coucillors set four priority areas for NCIL funding
Lewisham council has finally launched its long awaited Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) fund which will be partly aimed at helping the borough recover from the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The fund, worth almost £1m, represents a portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) the council applies to developments in the borough – money which it can use to support the development of local infrastructure.
Under CIL rules the council can set aside some of this money (15-25 per cent) to spend on priorities that should be agreed with the local community – this is NCIL.
Councillors agreed that the bulk of this fund should be allocated to four priority areas:
- Initiatives that seek to support local community groups to contribute to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour
- Provision of high quality mentoring services to keep Lewisham’s children and young people safe from exploitation, violence and serious youth crime
- Support for people with learning disabilities and/or mental health problems to find employment opportunities
- Projects that will assist in Lewisham’s Covid-19 recovery by demonstrating a benefit to Lewisham’s communities at a borough wide level
£100,000 of the funding pot has been allocated to the development of air quality initiatives in the borough.
Initiatives have to benefit two or more wards or the borough as a whole. In Lewisham this NCIL fund has been split into a borough wide pot and a ward based fund. This fund launch relates to the borough wide pot so Initiatives have to benefit two or more wards or the borough as a whole.
The ward based funding will replace the local assembly grants which were axed by the council after the government cut council budgets. No date has been set for the launch of ward based funding.
Applications for NCIL funds are open to residents of Lewisham, neighbourhood forums and other amenity, business and community groups made up of residents. The fund is open 28 May – 25 July 2021
A new online grants portal has been set up to make the application process easier including guidance note, research and information and a link to the Lewisham Observatory.
Applicants can also register for one of the council’s online workshops and will support those with little or no experience of submitting bids to those who are more experienced.
A dedicated phone line and email has been set up for enquires or to book a 1-1 session.
020 8314 6595 ncilfund@lewisham.gov.uk
Grant portal link; https://communityfunding.lewisham.gov.uk/