The Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) is inviting applications for grants of up to £25,000 from community projects across the UK, with up to £250,000 available.
The PCF is interested in projects that will make a difference in rural communities across the UK and clearly demonstrate the need within the community. Applications from Wales and Northern Ireland are particularly encouraged, but communities from across the UK are eligible to apply.
Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, said, “The PCF’s grant programme enables rural communities to become more self-sufficient by funding community-led solutions. Thanks to Waitrose and People’s Postcode Lottery players, the PCF aims to invest at least £500,000 each year through our rural grant programmes to make projects happen, particularly in hamlets, villages, and small towns.”
Bampton Valley Community Pub, based in Cumbria, was awarded £23,037 to support the refurbishment of ‘The Mardale Inn Pub’, which will create a safe hub for the local community of Penrith. This will, in turn, help to reduce rural isolation in the area.
Richard Shave, Chair of Bampton Valley Community Pub, said, “The Prince’s Countryside Fund funding will significantly help towards our goal of bringing The Mardale Inn back to life as a community hub. Funds will be used to establish a commercial kitchen which will provide the only catering within a four-mile radius, meaning that the community will be able to source tasty, locally sourced food all year round.”
Positive Community Action CIC, based in Wiltshire, was awarded £8,000 to support the provision of a community centre that will operate out of a refurbished double-decker bus. This innovative approach will allow support to be delivered directly to where it is needed most.
Phil Brady, Director of Positive Community Action, said, “Without the help of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, we wouldn’t have the financial ability to run our community bus, which will be essential in securing a lasting premises to run our services and reaching out to our community in isolated rural areas.”
Olivia Dryden, Senior Grants and Impact Officer, added, “We’re looking for organisations that can demonstrate how they are operating at the heart of their local community. We want to know why their project is the solution to a communal issue or challenge. Because of this, we ask applicants to provide evidence of demand direct from their target community and to show us how the project will make a tangible difference to the lives of those in their rural village or town.”
If you have an idea for a project in your community, you can discuss this with the team by completing the form on the website to arrange a phone call. It is also advised that you read through the guidance, FAQ and ‘Grants top tips’, which provide essential information and assistance with the application process: www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/grants.
The application for grant funding closes on the 11th of October 2022 at midday.
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