1. Funding Buddies Sue Davis – Environmental projects

2. About Funding Buddies Currently funded by Lottery grant for 3 years Currently funded by Lottery grant for 3 years covers all of Kent and Medway covers all of Kent and Medway will help all community/voluntary groups including clubs, charities, sports associations will help all community/voluntary groups including clubs, charities, sports associations we don't write the bids for groups, we mentor and give guidance on funding opportunities. we don't write the bids for groups, we mentor and give guidance on funding opportunities. there is a Funding Toolkit on our website to help groups to get going. there is a Funding Toolkit on our website to help groups to get going.

3. Recent successes BREATHING SPACES Seven Kent projects received grants worth a total of £59,188 to transform local spaces for the benefit of people and wildlife. Sturry Road Community Garden, Canterbury, £10,000 Broad Oak Friends, Canterbury, £9,050 Sandwich Technology School, Canterbury, £3,600 Gazen Salts Nature Reserve, Dover, £10,000 New Ash Green Village Association Ltd, Sevenoaks, £6,863 Friends of Barnetts Wood, Tunbridge Wells, £9,675 Claremont Primary School, Tunbridge Wells, £10,000 And again Four Kent projects were grant recipients under Lottery funded BBC Breathing Places scheme. Headcorn Primary School Ashford £5,000 Sturry Road Community Garden Canterbury £1,900 Gazen Salts Nature Reserve Dover £4,950 Brenchley Parish Council Tunbridge Wells £4,985

4. And again… In the latest round of approvals for this scheme 10 Kent based projects received a combined total of £81,339 in grants. The Friends of Duncan Down in Canterbury awarded £9,300 Pilgrims Way Community Primary School in Canterbury awarded £10,000 Blean Parish Council in Canterbury awarded £8,451 Maidstone Grammar School For Girls in Maidstone awarded £9,963 Headcorn Primary School in Maidstone awarded £10,000 The Astor of Hever Community School in Maidstone awarded £5,685 Hythe Town Council in Shepway awarded £9,300 Rodmersham Parish Council in Swale awarded £3,000 Kent Wildlife Trust in Swale awarded £10,000 Frittenden Parish Council in Tunbridge Wells awarded £5,640

5. Other recent awards Southfleet Parish Council - £1,500 - Dartford Improvements to allotments Southfleet Parish Council - £1,500 - Dartford Improvements to allotments West Kent Badger Group - £2,892 - Gravesham West Kent Badger Group - £2,892 - Gravesham Kent Tree Wardens, £5,000, Kent Kent Tree Wardens, £5,000, Kent Weald Horticultural Society, £4,210, Sevenoaks Weald Horticultural Society, £4,210, Sevenoaks Herne Bay Allotments & Gardens Assoc., Canterbury £8,999 Herne Bay Allotments & Gardens Assoc., Canterbury £8,999 Garden of England Woodturners Swale £5,915 Garden of England Woodturners Swale £5,915 Association of Woodturners - Kent Branch Tonbridge and Malling, £981 Association of Woodturners - Kent Branch Tonbridge and Malling, £981

6. Ecominds A Kent project is among the first tranch of projects awarded grants under the Ecominds Programme. The Wildwood Ecominds Project brings together the skills of mental health service providers, charities and the Wildwood Trust, to create a project of woodland management, rare species and animal care, and provide mental health service users with environmental skills that promote mental and physical wellbeing.

7. Kent Biodiversity grants Two Kent projects will receive a share of the £5.5m which is being allocated by the Natural England Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Action Fund to help protect threatened biodiversity. The two projects are both led by the Kent Wildlife Trust are Kents Chalk Living Landscape and delivering Biodiversity Action Plan for Shining Rams Horn Snail.

8. Peoples millions: public verdict

9. Community Sustainable Energy Programme Lottery funded programme managed by BRE. It provides development and capital grants to community-based organisations seeking to reduce their energy bills and environmental impact. Below is a list of the Kent organisations who have been successful applicants who have received a total of £82,943 Capital Grants The Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells received £29,421 Tenterden Infant School, Ashford received £25,990 Tenterden Church of England Junior School, Ashford received £25,990 Project Development Grants 1st Headcorn Scout Group, Tunbridge Wells received £1,542 Lottery funded programme managed by BRE. It provides development and capital grants to community-based organisations seeking to reduce their energy bills and environmental impact. Below is a list of the Kent organisations who have been successful applicants who have received a total of £82,943 Capital Grants The Skinners School, Tunbridge Wells received £29,421 Tenterden Infant School, Ashford received £25,990 Tenterden Church of England Junior School, Ashford received £25,990 Project Development Grants 1st Headcorn Scout Group, Tunbridge Wells received £1,542

10. Heritage Grants Scheme The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are one of the last groups to receive a development grant under the Heritage Grants scheme. The award, of £180,500, will support their bid to improve Cliffe Pools.

11. Changing spaces (upcoming grants) The last year has seen the Fund appoint four of the intended five award partners for this £234m environment focused grant programme. The known four are noted below with the fifth and final partner currently awaited. None of the partners have opened their schemes but all are due to during the coming months. Building Research Establishment - £10.1m for local groups to tackle environmental issues by becoming more energy efficient. Building Research Establishment - £10.1m for local groups to tackle environmental issues by becoming more energy efficient. Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts - £50m for community based projects to help people grow food, develop sustainable farming and encourage community enterprises. Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts - £50m for community based projects to help people grow food, develop sustainable farming and encourage community enterprises. Groundwork UK - £50m for projects to create or regenerate local spaces to improve local quality of life. Groundwork UK - £50m for projects to create or regenerate local spaces to improve local quality of life. Natural England - £25m for projects that encourage understanding, access and enjoyment of the natural environment Natural England - £25m for projects that encourage understanding, access and enjoyment of the natural environment

12. A current fund The Fund supports charities, voluntary groups and community organisations using volunteers to deliver small but beneficial conservation and environmental projects to rural communities in Kent The Fund supports charities, voluntary groups and community organisations using volunteers to deliver small but beneficial conservation and environmental projects to rural communities in Kent The kind of activities that might be supported: Planting of trees and hedging Regeneration of hedgerows or village ponds. Creation of wildflower meadows, new native woodlands. Restoration of local habitats The kind of activities that might be supported: Planting of trees and hedging Regeneration of hedgerows or village ponds. Creation of wildflower meadows, new native woodlands. Restoration of local habitats Some of the recent grants made by the Phillips Fund include: Gazen Salts Nature Reserve – planting of woodland flower verges, Bearsted Woodland Trust – planting of hedgerows for wildlife. Trees for Thanet – planting a shelter belt of trees. Etchinghill Village Hall – planting hedgerows and wildflowers around village hall. Sandhurst Tree Wardens – planting a small area of new woodland. Barnetts Wood Nature Reserve – planting of two hedgerows at entrance to wood. Some of the recent grants made by the Phillips Fund include: Gazen Salts Nature Reserve – planting of woodland flower verges, Bearsted Woodland Trust – planting of hedgerows for wildlife. Trees for Thanet – planting a shelter belt of trees. Etchinghill Village Hall – planting hedgerows and wildflowers around village hall. Sandhurst Tree Wardens – planting a small area of new woodland. Barnetts Wood Nature Reserve – planting of two hedgerows at entrance to wood. Grants are generally to a maximum of £1,000. Grants are generally to a maximum of £1,000.

13. Grant search 34 awards, grants and loans came up for climate change 34 awards, grants and loans came up for climate change Community and public transport, reclamation of land, reduction or prevention of pollution, provision of public amenities, habitat creation/biodiversity, restoration of certain buildings, development and implementation of community environment policy, small-scale biomass fuelled heat and combined heat and power projects, landfill gas, microgeneration technologies, wind turbines and wood fuelled boilers, small-scale hydro, solar energy and ground source heat pumps, community-based and not-for-profit recycling projects, flood and coastal defences, short rotation coppice and miscanthus, UK biodiversity targets, mitigating and adapting to climate change, quality food sales, adding value to forestry products, rural tourism… Community and public transport, reclamation of land, reduction or prevention of pollution, provision of public amenities, habitat creation/biodiversity, restoration of certain buildings, development and implementation of community environment policy, small-scale biomass fuelled heat and combined heat and power projects, landfill gas, microgeneration technologies, wind turbines and wood fuelled boilers, small-scale hydro, solar energy and ground source heat pumps, community-based and not-for-profit recycling projects, flood and coastal defences, short rotation coppice and miscanthus, UK biodiversity targets, mitigating and adapting to climate change, quality food sales, adding value to forestry products, rural tourism…

14. Funding Buddies The Funding Buddies project works from two different directions: FUNDING AND TRAINING The Funding Buddies project works from two different directions: FUNDING AND TRAINING Funding A network of Funding Advisors visit groups and assist them to develop new and existing projects. These advisors will investigate relevant/suitable funders using their existing skills and an electronic funding tool. Once suitable grants have been identified, advisors will then assist with the completion of the bid and at the same time pass on their specialist knowledge. This will enable groups to apply effectively for funding in the future. The Advisors will revisit the projects once financial support has been achieved to ensure that effective recording, both financial and in terms of outputs are in place. Further support will be given with the completion of the project returns. Funding A network of Funding Advisors visit groups and assist them to develop new and existing projects. These advisors will investigate relevant/suitable funders using their existing skills and an electronic funding tool. Once suitable grants have been identified, advisors will then assist with the completion of the bid and at the same time pass on their specialist knowledge. This will enable groups to apply effectively for funding in the future. The Advisors will revisit the projects once financial support has been achieved to ensure that effective recording, both financial and in terms of outputs are in place. Further support will be given with the completion of the project returns.

15. Training This part of the programme will meet the general training gaps that have already been identified and any new ones arising. Training courses that we have run in the past include: IT Skills Fundraising & Bid Writing First Aid Basic Food Hygiene These courses will be paid for by the Funding Buddies Project

16. Get in touch Sue Davis – Environment funding buddy Email: Sue@greenadvantage.co.uk Nigel Turley - 01303 813790 Email: fundingbuddies@ruralkent.org.uk fundingbuddies@ruralkent.org.uk http://www.fundingbuddiesinkent.org.uk/