Find out about the Blue Heart Community Fund
- Why do we have a Community Fund?
- What do we fund?
- What we don’t fund
- Who can apply?
- How do we decide who to fund?
- Grant details
- Apply to the Blue Heart Community Fund
- Who have we already funded?
- Building community resilience
- Notes
Why do we have a Community Fund?
Some of the challenges of climate change and sustainability can only be addressed by international agreements, governments, and new technologies.
But there are positive things that we can all do, to make a difference – as individuals, households and communities.
Our Community Fund helps these important activities happen in Eastbourne and southern Wealden.
What do we fund?
We help local people try out new ideas or expand existing activities.
We’re interested in proposals that:
- help manage flooding or drought
- reduce the impact of climate change
- protect and share the natural environment
- help to inform and engage people with these issues
We’re also interested in supporting communities to become more resilient to flooding and other disasters by being:
- CONNECTED: developing formal or informal networks that can offer coordinated support to those affected by flooding or other incidents in the community.
- AWARE: understanding risk, having access to relevant information about being prepared, and knowing where to go for help
- PREPARED: knowing what to do in an emergency and having a plan
- ORGANISED: having individuals and organisations ready and equipped to respond to an emergency
What we don’t fund
- We don’t fund projects which are focused on the sea, coast or beaches. This is because Blue Heart is concentrating on inland sources of flooding; there is a separate project addressing coastal flooding – the Pevensey to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme.
- We don’t fund projects around recycling or general sustainability.
- We cannot fund individual households to make changes to their private property.
- We cannot fund proposals which may have negative effects on the environment, flood risk, or community members.
Who can apply?
We accept applications from:
- Informal community groups (such as neighbours or local clubs)
- Community organisations
- Different groups that are working together
We accept applications from organisations who are not based in Eastbourne and south Wealden, but the activity and its impact must take place here. If you’re not sure whether you’re eligible, please check the Blue Heart Project map.
How do we decide who to fund?
We’ll assess you application based on:
- Whether your idea matches with our priorities and areas of interest (we want to be challenged and think laterally – so just make sure you explain how your activity would be relevant)
- The feasibility of your idea
- If you appear to have sufficient existing resources, and have asked for a realistic amount of support, to deliver your proposal.
- The anticipated impact on local people, natural spaces and the environment.
- Whether you’ve been funded before. (having been funded previously doesn’t mean you won’t receive a new grant, but we’ll want to understand how any more funding would fit into your plans).
Because the funding pot is limited, we will try to award grants across the areas of interest, size and type of organisation, and location within the Blue Heart project area.
Grant details
Small Grants, up to £500
Available year-round until all funds are allocated.
You might use this to:
- Experiment – it’s OK to try something new, even if it doesn’t work out.
- Cover expenses for existing activities,
- Pilot a new idea – if it works, you can apply for bigger grants from other funding bodies
Your grant is loaded on a prepaid debit card, so you don’t need a bank account for your project. If you prefer, we can order equipment and materials so there’s no need to handle the money.
Apply to the Blue Heart Community Fund
Application is by a short form.
OR
Download a Word application form
(to plan out your answers or to fill in and send to us in the post)
If you have any questions or would like help to fill in the form, please contact us.
Email: contact@blueheart.org.uk or call Eleanor: 07936 440 074
Who have we already funded?
Plastic-Free Eastbourne
A water refill station to add to their network, encouraging people to refill water bottles rather than buying single-use plastic ones.
£3,500
Watercycle
A mobile engagement hub (a bespoke ‘watercycle’ trailer, pulled by an electric bike) for exploring water with different audiences in diverse locations.
£5,000
Treebourne
Supporting biodiversity at Ocklynge School through planting trees and wildflowers.
£5,000
Eastbourne Food Partnership
‘Growing in a changing climate’ project, supporting growers to create edible ecosystems that better regulate water and temperature extremes.
£5,000
Eastbourne Allotments
and Garden Society
Raised beds to support involvement by people with mobility issues including older growers.
£3,500
Pevensey and Westham Forest Garden
Three family workshops exploring Ponds, Trees and Planting.
£500
Eastbourne Seniors Forum
Celebration for International Older People’s Day to bring older and potentially isolated residents together.
£500
Willingdon Trees Toddler Allotment
Running costs and materials budget for programme engaging low income families with growing, food and nature.
£5,000
Live Wires Youth Club
Creating a community garden with youth club (8-16s).
£2,100
English in the Community, Community Wise
Development of ESOL lesson plans and learning resources about the water cycle, weather, the environment, and climate change.
£2,000
Polegate and District Model Engineering Club
Planting to address flooding on the model railway site.
£450
Act On It
Online drama sessions with isolated young people, exploring responses to climate change.
£400
Please note:
- Grants must be spent within 12 months of the award date.
- Any funds not spent by this deadline must be returned to the Community Fund.
- Grant money must be spent on the activities/materials outlined in your application, or with prior agreement of Blue Heart for any changes.
- Successful applicants are required to keep all receipts and a record of expenditure, to be provided to Blue Heart at the end of the project.
- Successful applicants are required to keep relevant records of activities and participation, and evaluate your project as agreed with Blue Heart.