Groups in Inverclyde can now apply for a share of a £365,000 council fund supporting community, sports and voluntary activities throughout the area.

Applications are now being accepted for Inverclyde Council’s Community Grants Fund with one-off awards of up to £10,000 available.

Money is set aside in the local authority budget each year to support community, sports and voluntary organisations within Inverclyde to help across three main categories of facilities/core costs, project costs, and fee waivers.

Groups applying for funding will also need to specify how it would be used to contribute to and benefit the wider community in line with the local priorities of repopulation, local economy and inequalities or environment, culture and heritage.

The Community Grants Fund combines the former Grants to Voluntary Organisations (GTVO), Under-19s Sports and Community Hall Waivers schemes.

The council paid out nearly £340k through the scheme last year.

Councillor Graeme Brooks, chair of Inverclyde Council’s grants sub-committee, said: “We have many groups doing wonderful work right across Inverclyde supporting their respective communities and residents who live there and it is important, particularly in these tough financial times, to continue to support them as best we can and that’s what the Community Grants Fund is designed for.

“Funding is set aside in the budget each year by the council to provide one-off support to give groups a helping hand in doing that good work which benefits our area so much.

“The pot of money available has a limit so the role of the members of the grants sub-committee is to make sure the money spent achieves the maximum benefit across Inverclyde.” 

Applications received by 12 noon on Wednesday 10 August 2022 will be considered by the grants sub-committee at its meeting in September.

Further information is available on the council website at www.inverclyde.gov.uk/communitygrants.