From 2020, Severn Trent are giving away more than £10m over the next five years to support new projects by local charities and community groups in the Severn Trent region – helping to make a real and tangible difference to communities.
Projects chosen by customers
The fund is overseen by a Community Fund Panel made up from their customers who review applications and so, ultimately, it’s their customers who decide where the money goes.
How it works and who can apply
The customers of Severn Trent have helped to create and shape the community fund. They’ve provided a better understanding of the needs of the community, and as a result, have chosen to design the fund around improving community wellbeing.
By this they mean:
- People: Projects that support healthier lifestyles and skills development.
- Places: Projects that help create better places for communities.
- Environment: Projects that improve access to and promote a healthier natural environment, including the preservation of water.
They seek to fund projects that link to these key elements of community wellbeing – with favourability shown to projects that ideally lie within a ‘sweet spot’ that incorporates all three. If you’re applying for over £75,000, please note that a combination of all three of these themes is necessary to be eligible.
And of course, being a water company, naturally they’d love to see applications for projects that have a connection to water too (although not essential!). This might mean creating sustainable drainage, installing grey water recycling or creating water efficient green spaces.
Types of projects they’re looking for
They’re ideally looking for projects that are unique, have a genuine community need, and stand out as having a real impact on improving community wellbeing.
To give you an idea of the types of projects that are funded, take a look at some of the projects they’ve funded so far.
Before applying, all interested applicants are encouraged to discuss their project idea with a dedicated Fund Officer. They can tell you if it’s a good fit for the aims of the Fund and what to expect with the application process. Feel free to get in touch at: communityfund@severntrent.co.uk.
Applying for funding from the Severn Trent Community Fund
Although Severn Trent would love to, they unfortunately can’t fund every application they receive, so are having to prioritise the projects with the strongest fit to the criteria.
With this in mind, they’d also like to make you aware that if you are applying for the largest funding pot, the Customer Panel are only able to fund a handful of these each year.
- Project Eligibility: What they can and can’t fund.
- Project Assessment: What they and you need to do.
- Available Funding: How much you can apply for.
- How to Apply: What happens next.
How much is available?
Grants are available to local not-for-profit organisations for local projects that support the wellbeing of communities in the Severn Trent region.
There are 3 funding pots:
- £2,000 – £10,000: up to 12 months for project completion.
- £10,001 – £75,000: up to 24 months for project completion.
- £75,001 – £200,000: up to 24 months for project completion.
All applications are encouraged to provide match funding but it’s a requirement for applications of £10,001 or over.
The Community Fund is always open for applications, however, grant money can’t sit untouched, so your project must start within 3 months of the grant offer date.
