New Grass Roots Fund

10 October 2007

This is a new pilot small grants scheme for voluntary and community groups in Merthyr

The Grass Roots Fund is designed to build capacity in small voluntary and community groups who may not have access to other sources of funding, and are thus disadvantaged.

The funding comes from the Welsh Assembly Government, who have identified these groups to include:

- Ethnic minority groups
- Disabled peoples’ groups
- Lesbian, gay and bisexual groups
- Women’s groups
- Homeless groups
- Refugee and asylum seeker groups
- Gypsies and travellers’ groups
- Groups helping people with low levels of literacy or numeracy
- Isolated groups; and
- Minority language groups

Groups eligible to apply should either have their own constitution or be able to identify a constituted organisation to receive the grant on their behalf.

Groups should have an annual income of less than £5,000.

Grants are available from £100 – £2,000 to help groups become established. Some examples of eligible activity might include:

- Developing a newsletter or website
- Arrange meetings or pay for room hire
- Training events or costs of speakers

Grants must be spent by 30 June 2008.

Application forms are available from VAMT and can be downloaded from ′Publications and Information – Funding Update′. Forms must be returned by 31 December 2007.

For further information contact: Hilary Edwards at Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil, telephone 01685 353900 or hilary.edwards@vamt.net.