Introduction
Welcome to our guidance notes for the Neighbourhood Development Fund. As a Local Authority we recognise the importance of supporting the sustainable management of community spaces and enabling projects that deliver investment and improvements in community infrastructure.
We want to support local place leaders, such as parish/town councils, charities, community organisations and social enterprises, to develop new projects that align with Neighbourhood Plans and respond to the needs of a community.
This fund has two aims:
Development of a Neighbourhood Project
Support development work to understand the need, requirements, or evidence for the delivery of projects aligned to an adopted Neighbourhood Plan. This may include feasibility studies, architectural designs and other professional or consultancy expenditure.
Neighbourhood Plan Support
Enhance or review existing Neighbourhood Plans to incorporate community spaces or community infrastructure. This may include business planning advice, policy support or specialist advice.
This fund provides grants for REVENUE expenditure only (e.g., project costs, consultancy, design solutions). In these guidance notes you will find details of the criteria and eligibility.
The Neighbourhood Development Fund is delivered by West Lindsey District Council and funded by the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Contact details
If you require any assistance in completing an application, please contact us.
We can arrange a consultation meeting with one of our officers. Our officers can liaise with you via telephone, virtual meeting or on the site of your project.
Email: funding@west-lindsey.gov.uk
Telephone: 01427 676676
How to apply to this fund
Step 1: Expression of Interest Form
This short form provides us with some basic details about your organisation, project, and costs. It allows us to check your organisation and project against the eligibility criteria for this fund.
We will review your Expression of Interest Form within 7 days.
The Expression of Interest Form can be completed online.
Step 2: Application Form
The Application Form gives us more detailed information about your project. It includes questions on community need for the project, the impact and financial breakdown.
We will send you an Application Form after reviewing your Expression of Interest.
We will arrange online or in person meetings as needed to support the completion of your application.
We will review your Application Form within 4 weeks.
Where possible, we will accept and use application forms you have already completed for other funders.
Closing dates for this fund
This fund will close to applications on 28th February 2025.
This fund may close earlier if all available funding is awarded.
Our website provides up to date information on the status for all our grant funds. Visit our Grants and Funding pages.
Grant amount available
The maximum grant available is: £10,000
The minimum grant available is £500
We can fund up to 100% of project costs however, securing match funding will be viewed favourably in the review process.
We expect that most grants awarded will be between £500 to £6,000.
We may offer reduced grant awards subject to our budget available for this fund.
Eligible organisations can submit a maximum of two applications. A second application can only be accepted upon fully completion of the first awarded grant.
We may be able to consider requests for more than the maximum for district-wide or strategically important projects.
Criteria for this fund
Key Criteria
The project must support the greater understanding of the need, requirements, or evidence for the delivery of a project for community benefit.
The project must align with an adopted Neighbourhood Plan or support the enhancement or review of an existing Neighbourhood Plan.
The project must demonstrate strong community benefit.
The project must be delivered within the district of West Lindsey or be able to demonstrate significant benefits to West Lindsey residents.
The project must not contravene any of our policies, procedures, or strategies.
The project must be able to secure other funding applied for (match funding).
All grants will be a one-off grant with no on-going funding commitment.
Positive outcomes and differences to the local community
The main aim of this fund is to help support the sustainable management of community spaces and enable projects that deliver investment and improvements in community infrastructure.
Here are some examples of outcomes your project could achieve:
- Increased understanding of the cost of a project.
- Increased resilience or business plans for managing community assets.
- Increased understanding of the impact, viability, or feasibility of a project.
- Increased understanding of design or architectural options.
- Improved organisational governance, structure, or sustainability.
Organisational Requirements
- Constitution or similar governing documents (excluding Parish/Town Councils).
- Bank account in the same name as the organisation.
- Evidence of financial accounting (e.g., Annual accounts).
- Safeguarding policies (for projects involving children and vulnerable people).
- Any required insurance policies (e.g., Public Liability Insurance).
Freedom of Information Act
All grants that we make are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and any subsequent amendments. Therefore, any information regarding a grant we award may be provided to any individuals or organisations requesting information under the requirement of this Act.
Grant Funding Agreement
If offered funding, you must be able to sign our Grant Funding Agreement between the council and your organisation.
It is essential you do not begin spending against your project until you have a fully signed Grant Funding Agreement. Our officers can provide additional advice and support when completing a grant agreement.
What this grant can be spent on
- Professional fees
- Consultancy costs
- Feasability costs
- Learning and development costs
What this grant CANNOT be spent on
- Capital costs
- Anything illegal
- Promotion of any religion
- VAT if your organisation can reclaim it
- Support to lobbying or campaign groups
- Anything that will bring the Council into disrepute
- Anything party political, including supporting political organisations
- Anything contrary to the Council’s financial regulations, policies or strategies
- Anything that an organisation or local authority has a statutory obligation to deliver
- Projects based/operating outside of West Lindsey unless they provide significant
benefit to communities within West Lindsey - Anything that has already been spent or committed before receiving a grant
(known as retrospective funding)
Eligible organisations
The following organisations can apply to this scheme:
- Registered charities
- Parish and Town Councils
- Social Enterprises (e.g. CIC's)
- Faith or Belief groups/organisations
- Constituted community groups
- Parish Meetings
- Schools or Academies*
- Public Sector Organisations*
*Projects delivered by these organisations must be for wider community access and benefit and not to support normal school or business activity.
Monitoring and evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation is an important part of any grant funding scheme. It enables us as an organisation spending public funds to ensure a project is achieving best value and delivering results for the local community. It also enables you to learn what has worked well and where there have been challenges.
All successful projects will be required to complete an end of project evaluation form. We use this information to highlight the importance of funding community projects and the value of volunteers.
We will work with you on monitoring and evaluating your grant to:
- Demonstrate the change your project has made to the community and people’s lives
- Approve that the project or activities have been delivered in the way described in the application and other requested documentation
- Collect feedback, including publicity, user comments, survey information, photographs, and video
- Highlight project successes
- Demonstrate how your project has ensured inclusion and accessibility for all in the community
- Understand more about what you learned and what skills you developed as individuals and as an organisation
How we make funding decisions
We will check your completed application against our eligibility criteria and review your request using the following process:
Phase 1 – Eligibility Check
We check eligibility of your project against the criteria of this fund
Phase 2 – Application Scoring
We score your application against our set funding criteria for this fund
Phase 3 – Panel Review
Our panel for this grant fund makes a final decision on whether to offer funding
Updates to these Guidance Notes
These Guidance Notes were adopted on 10 June 2024.
Updated versions of Guidance Notes will not apply to grants already made. The document in use at the time of a grant being made will continue to be used.
Other support for your project
The following organisations and sources of information can help you find funding and provide advice on delivering your project.
Voluntary Centre Services provide advice and support to voluntary groups and charities on funding, governance and management. They work with organisations to find volunteers and can help promote of volunteering opportunities you have.
Lincolnshire Volunteering & Funding website, hosted by Voluntary Centre Services, provides the latest information on funding opportunities. The website includes a funding directory and other useful information.
myCommunity provides all the latest tools, tips and ideas to support organisations to make your community an even better place to live. You can access advice and resources on topics including:
- Funding
- Community assets
- Volunteer management
- Governance
- Parks and green spaces
- Community engagement