Cycling and Walking Grants

This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Cycling and Walking Strategy 2019-2029 [pdf] 3.36MB.

Cycling and Walking Grant Scheme Aims

To fund community projects that do one or more of the following.

• Encourage and enable people to take up walking and/or cycling;
• Encourage and enable people to walk and cycle more, particularly as an alternative to using their cars;
• Make it safer for people to walk and cycle;
• Improve cycle security; and
• Contribute towards a low carbon footprint and promote environmentally responsible and sustainable behaviour.

In order to apply for a capital grant from Ashford Borough Council, you must meet all of the criteria below:

• Have a constitution or trust deed and provide us with a copy.
• Be non-political.
• Deliver your project within the Ashford borough.
• Ensure your project is open to any resident in the borough (or have a clear, non-financial justification for targeting or prioritising a service user).
• Have a bank or building society account in your organisation’s name.
• Provide your most recent set of accounts OR if a new organisation (less than a year old), 12 month cash flow forecast and balance sheet to date signed by Chairman or Treasurer.
• Hold no more than 12 months’ running costs in unrestricted/free reserves.
• Have relevant safeguards, insurances and policies in place i.e. public liability insurance, health and safety policy, child and vulnerable person protection policy, and provide us with copies.

What is available?

• Revenue funding: to pay for venue hire and printing costs, for example.
• Capital funding: to pay for the purchase of equipment, for example.
• Minimum grant: £1,000 per year for a maximum of 2 years.
• Maximum grant: £10,000 per year for a maximum of 2 years.

Who can apply?

• Non-profit making groups or organisations such as community groups, community associations and voluntary groups.
• Community Interest Companies.
• Local branches of registered charities.
• Local Councils i.e. town/parish/community.
• PTAs if the project has wider community access.
• Private companies, if project is non-profit making.

What we will fund

• Projects which meet our funding aims, detailed above.
• Projects taking place between 2021 and 2023.
• One project from any one organisation.
• 100% of project costs (but if the scheme is oversubscribed, we will prioritise projects with match funding).

What we won't fund

• Projects that cannot demonstrate a clear financial need due to a lack of alternative funds (e.g. you should not hold considerable funds in free reserves).
• Core revenue costs such as rent, salaries, insurances and utilities.
• Projects that have already been delivered or work that has already been carried out.
• Projects where funding should be provided by another statutory organisation.
• Projects which have a large shortfall in the required funding.
• VAT where it can be recovered by the applicant (as the applicant can get this back from HMRC, it is not a cost to the project).

Project prioritisation

If the grant scheme is oversubscribed, we will prioritise projects based on the following:

• Scheme aims – higher priority will be given to projects who more closely meet the aims of the scheme or deliver a higher number of aims.
• Funding package – higher priority will be given to projects with funding from another source i.e. do not need 100% funding from this scheme and on value for money.
• Project scope and access – higher priority will be given to projects that are easily accessible and have a higher number of users/beneficiaries.
• Project Monitoring and evaluation– higher priority will be given to projects that have clearly defined outcomes and methods in place for how the success of the project will be evaluated and outcomes monitored.
• Deliverability – higher priority will be given to projects that are ready to be delivered once grant funding is approved i.e. resources are available and any approvals needed are secured.

Application process

If you are eligible to apply for a grant, please download our Cycling and Walking Grant Scheme application form [doc] 248KB. Please send your completed form to grantsandfunding@ashford.gov.uk.

Take care to complete the application form fully and include all the supporting documentation we require.

Your application should be supported by your ward councillor, who should sign the application form before you submit it. Find out contact details for your Ward Councillor.

There are two application deadlines per year on 31 May and 30 November. We aim to let you know of our decision within six weeks of the application deadline. All applications must be fully completed; failure to submit a fully completed application may result in the decision being delayed.

If your application is successful, we will send you a grant offer which sets out the amount of grant awarded to your project and any terms and conditions and monitoring requirements of funding

In signing your grant offer, you accept our standard Terms and Conditions of Funding [docx] 17KB and any additional conditions and monitoring requirements stated in the offer.

Payment of grant funding is subject to our receipt of evidence of satisfactory performance against the formal measures and milestones stated in the grant offer.

Cycling and walking grants are determined by the budget available. We may not be able to fund all the applications we receive.

The decision of the council is final.

Who to contact for help

Michelle Byrne, Funding and Partnerships Officer.

T: 01233 330485

E: grantsandfunding@ashford.gov.uk

Safeguarding

Ashford Borough Council is required by law to safeguard children and to protect public funds. We may use the information you have provided for the prevention and detection of criminal activity and fraud. We may also share this information with those bodies responsible for auditing or administering funds for these purposes.

Data protection

Any personal data provided in your application will be processed in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We will only share personal information with other public sector organizations if it is necessary for the prevention and detection of fraud. Further information relating to your rights under the Data Protection Act can be sent to you on request.