As a result of the decision not to cease Area Committee Grants in the February Council Meeting when the Revenue Budget was agreed, residents of North Herts once again have the opportunity to apply for grants from Area Committees. If you are a local charity, voluntary group or not for profit organisation you are eligible for a share of its almost £90,000 grant funding pot in 2018-19. The Council provides grants to voluntary groups and not-for-profits through its five Area Committees. These can be used to launch a new project or advance an existing project to a new stage, as long as there is a positive benefit to the community. Each Committee, which meet four times a year in June, September, December and March, is allocated an amount of grant funding to give to appropriate projects, depending on the population they serve. To make an application: * Make sure you apply well in advance of when you will need the funding as the process can take a few months, taking into account the Committee meeting schedule. * Complete an application form and submit it along with your group’s latest accounts and Constitution. * You will then be invited to come along to a meeting to give a brief presentation to the Committee. Following which the Councillors on the Committee vote and you will find out if your application has been successful. The process is simple and straight forward, but if you need any assistance our Communities team are on hand to provide help and advice throughout the process. The next deadline to apply for funding is 5pm on Friday 4 May. If you apply for this funding round and are successful, you would receive the funding around the end of June. Many community groups in Knebworth have benefited in the past, including the Bowls Club, the Football Club, Knebworth Day Care the Twinning Association. New rules mean that Knebworth Parish Council, which has applied for, and been granted, funds in the past are now barred, because of a tightening up of eligibility criteria to exclude precepting bodies (the Parish Council can raise funds via Council Tax directly). This means that there has been a shortage of qualifying applicants in the past year: an opportunity for your group to apply this year. To find out if your group might be eligible for grant funding, visit the Grants page on the NHDC website: www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/community/grants/area-committee-grants Alternatively call the Communities Team on 01462 474226 or email Community@north-herts.gov.uk