Armed Forces Community Covenant (AFCC) grant scheme The context The Armed Forces Community makes up approximately 10 % of the total population of Hampshire [1], a significant presence, which has profoundly influenced the history of the County and shaped its communities.[1] Hampshire has the largest veterans population in the country with Gosport and Fareham having the highest concentration of veterans by district in the country. Bases and garrisons are spread across Hampshire in a wide variety of locations, some are close to and form part of urban areas, others are much more remote and are located in the very rural parts of the County. The Armed Forces Community not only includes Serving personnel and veterans but those families/dependants of Serving personnel and Reservists. [1] The total population of Hampshire is approximately 1.3 million. The Armed Forces Community in Hampshire is estimated to be over 130,000 people.

AFCC grant scheme- the context… The Armed Forces Community Covenant was introduced to complement, at the local level, the Armed Forces Covenant and to encourage local communities to support the Service community in their area and promote understanding and awareness amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces Community. The Hampshire AF Community Covenant was signed in June The aims of the AFCC are;  Encourage local communities to support the Armed Forces Community in their areas;  Nurture public understanding and awareness amongst the public of issues affecting the Armed Forces Community;  Recognise and remember the sacrifices faced by the Armed Forces Community;  Encourage activities which help to integrate the Armed Forces Community into local life;  Encourage the Armed Forces Community to help and support the wider  community, whether through participation in events and joint projects, or other forms of engagement

AFCC Grant Scheme The AFCC grant scheme has been set up to fund local projects which strengthen the ties or the mutual understanding between members of the Armed Forces Community and the wider community in which they live. Do you have any innovative ideas project ideas to achieve this in your local community? There has been up to £30 million allocated to this fund across the country over a 4 year period ( ) to help communities undertake projects that promote greater understanding between the military and civilian populations. There will be £10m allocated each year for the next two years.

AFCC Grant Scheme Applications requesting support for projects that deliver tangible results and meet the overall aims of the Community Covenant Scheme can be submitted by any part of the community, this might include volunteer groups, charities, public bodies such as schools, and so on. You can bid for between £100 - £250,000!!! The next application deadline date is the 1 st May Applications submitted are then considered by the Hampshire AFCC Partnership. If the Hampshire AFCC Partnership agree to endorse your application it will be sent to the MOD AFCC Panel centrally for their consideration. Currently these meetings are held 4 times a year.

Main consideration points  There is a genuine need for project – not something that is ‘plucked out of the air’.  A project that brings both the armed forces and wider community together  The project must not be something that is aimed to ‘gap fill’ a service that is or should be provided by others (e.g. other Government Department, local authority, existing MOD provision);  Provides value for money  The beneficiary groups are clearly identified along with the impacts the project will have on them.  While a lack of any matched funding or goods/services-in-lieu is not a ‘deal breaker’, the Panel will always look more favourably on those projects which have made an effort to obtain funds from other sources.  There is key stakeholder support from both armed forces and wider community- the armed forces partners is preferably of high ranking authority.  The project demonstrates a real and mutual benefit to both communities. For more information, support and guidance please contact