RuralActionEast.uk

1. www.RuralActionEast.org.uk

2. Contents • Introduction • Rural Community Councils • Rural Action East • Overview of Landfill Tax Credit Scheme • Biffaward Scheme • Project criteria • Application Process • Finances • Expression of Interest • Full Application • Assessment criteria

3. Rural Community Councils • Network of independent charities • One in each of six counties of East of England • Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk • Considerable experience & sustainability • 10 to 85 years in our region • Whole county coverage • Community development services • Extensive network of out-reach workers • Specialised rural focus

4. Rural Action East • Regional umbrella organisation • Members are six county RCCs • Autonomous charity • Entrust Enrolled Environmental Body • Regional representation & policy development • Management of regional projects • Biffaward; ChangeUp; LSC Training; Comm Champ Fund; MTI • Facilitate RCC collaboration • Policy; Best practice; Research; Reports/Papers; Data

5. Landfill Tax Credit Scheme

6. Landfill Tax Credit Scheme • Introduced on 1 October 1996 • Landfill site operators donates up to 6% of tax towards environmental projects • Regulator ENTRUST (HM Revenue & Customs) • Eligibility - A project must: • Be within ten miles of a landfill site • Variety of types of projects or Objects • Each land fill operator has own approach to LTCS, eg WREN, Virador, Biffa, etc

7. Object D: Quality of Life For the protection of the environment or the provision maintenance or improvement of a public park or another public amenity • Public amenity is one that is: • Open for a minimum of two full days per week, four evenings or twelve weeks per year, 104 days a year

8. Object E: Environment For the protection of the environment, the maintenance, repair or restoration of a building or other structure, which is a place of religious worship or of historic or architectural interest • The project must also meet the minimum access requirements

9. Object DA: Bio-diversity For the protection of the environment and the conservation or promotion of biological diversity through: • Provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat • Maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat • There are no access requirements. Work can take place on private land

10. Biffaward Scheme

11. Grants Available • Small Grants Scheme £250 - £5,000 • Small simple projects • Apply direct to Royal Society for Wildlife Trust • Main Grants £5,000 - £50,000 • Major projects for community facilities: Recreation; Sports; Lifelong learning; and Community development • Apply via Rural Action East • Flagship £150,000 - £500,000 • Nationally or regionally significant voluntary sector led regeneration or biodiversity projects • Discuss with Royal Society for Wildlife Trust • All need minimum 10% (cash) third party funding

12. Biffaward Aims • Projects that show an innovative use of a community amenity to enhance, maintain or introduce real community led social, economic or environmental improvements • An emphasis on sustainable communities • Capital funding • Type of projects supported: • village halls, skate parks, nature reserves, community rooms, museum education rooms, voluntary sector led sporting facilities, internet cafes, green spaces, historic parks, provision for children and teenagers, community gardens, cemeteries and churchyards, civic spaces, species restoration

13. Funding Criteria Objects D & E - Community • Community benefit & engagement • Involvement of & benefit to local community • Innovative & good practice • Expands existing services • Provides new services (lack of alternatives nearby) • Quality of life impact • Social &/or economic • Partnership • Success measurements / outcome driven

14. Funding Criteria Objects DA - Biodiversity • Consistent & supplementary to other initiatives • Consistent with county Biodiversity Action Plan • Holistic approach to bio-diversity • Conservation & promotion • Natural habitat • Provision, restoration, enhancement • Partnership approach

15. Eligible Applicants & Projects • Community Groups • Local Auth – not statutory duties • Sports & Social Clubs – free access? • Discrete identifiable item(s) (capital) • In combination with other grants, including other LTCS, eg Biffaward + WREN • Not Disability Discrimination Act • Not buses • Not running costs

16. East of England Biffaward Scheme Main Grant Applications

17. East of England Organisations • Royal Society for Wildlife Trusts (RSWT) • National administrator on behalf of Biffa Waste Services plc • Small Grants <£5,000, fast-track process • Rural Action East • Entrust Enrolled Environmental Body • Formal Main Grant applicant on behalf of community • Regional Partnership • Regional Assessment Panel • Government Office, EEDA, Sport England, Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts and Rural Community Councils • Rural Community Council • Out-reach support to Community • Application process • Project delivery

18. East of England Process • Project Summary (Expression of Interest) • Regional Assessment Panel • Local knowledge & priorities • Consider, review and recommend • Full Main Grant Application • Administered by RSWT • National Biffaward Board • Decide & make award • Quarterly bidding rounds • Expect ~6 months from application to receipt of award

19. Finances • Main Grants • Community can receive £4,545 to £45,454 • Business case if project total cost >£50k • Not running costs • Fees • Entrust 2% (additional funding from Biffaward) • Rural Action East 10% • Third Party Funding: min 10% in cash • Beware VAT

20. Application Success Criteria • Extent of demonstrated community need, eg • Parish Plans, Mkt Town Health Checks, surveys, etc • Village Hall Advisor review • Deprivation, exclusion, loss of services • Involvement of community in implementation & sustainability • Value & benefit of asset provision or improvement • Sound finances / value for money

21. East of England Biffaward Scheme Project Assessment Criteria

22. Grant Assessment Criterion #1 Project meets community need • Beneficiaries • Identified • Needs analysed • Relationship to other service provision • Gap; Additionality; Evidence based • Communications • Context of proposals • Exchange best practice • Correct response to need

23. Grant Assessment Criterion #2 Project Management • Capacity to handle flow of funds • Experience in managing similar projects • Impact on staff numbers • Clear & realistic project aims & objectives • Project plan & exit strategy • Ready to start (less than 6 months) • Complete (less than 2 years)

24. Grant Assessment Criterion #3 Budget • Quality • Complete, accurate, soundly based (~3 quotations) • Projected income • Realistically achievable • Matched funding • Secured (Biffaward may caveat offer on clarification) • Value for money

25. Grant Assessment Criterion #4a Project Quality – Objects D & E • Innovative & good practice • Expands existing services • Provides new services • Community benefit & engagement • Involvement of & benefit to local community • Quality of life • Social &/or economic • Partnership • Success measurements / outcome driven

26. Grant Assessment Criterion #4b Project Quality – Objects DA • Consistent & supplementary to other initiatives • Consistent with county Biodiversity Action Plan • Holistic approach to bio-diversity • Conservation & promotion • Natural habitat • Provision, restoration, enhancement • Partnership approach