Funding for local voluntary and community organisations

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) has made available c.£11,000 to support Reigate & Banstead residents to make journeys that are important to them.

If you work with residents in Reigate & Banstead who would benefit from community transport to help them attend services or activities in the borough, you may be eligible to apply for funding from the UKSPF Community Transport Grants, administered by the Community Partnerships Team.

The aim is to award funding that will be used to help remove the barriers of access, affordability or availability to transport and have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable residents. 

Organisations that meet the eligibility criteria can apply before 31 July 2024 for one of the following funds: 

Transport service funding – grants up to £5000

If your organisation is considering setting up a transport service for your service users, then you could apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to help you set up a new service or for an extension to an existing service. 

Travel bursaries – grants between £500 - £1000

If your organisation wants to enlarge its reach by providing travel bursaries, this could be in the form of travel vouchers, bus passes, taxi vouchers or reimbursement of costs, then you could apply for a grant of between £500 and £1,000. 

We aim to make grant payments in late August 2024 and the funding period is to the end of March 2025 by which time all the funding awarded must be spent.

How to apply 

• Read the guidance and eligibility criteria and guidance
• Complete the expression of interest form by 31 July 2024
• We will then call you to talk you through the application process and to capture any supporting information

Guidance and eligibility criteria

Applications are welcomed from organisations working in Reigate & Banstead that deliver services in support of residents in the borough. 

This includes charities, faith groups, community interest companies, not for profit groups, community interest groups, social enterprises, public sector organisations (in support of discretionary not statutory services, for which public funding has already been provided).

Consideration of the applications will include the breadth of coverage across the borough, the variety of organisations and the support provided to people in need.

Intended beneficiaries

• Residents who do not have access to a vehicle or have needed to surrender their driver’s license on medical grounds
• Residents who due to ill health, disability or frailty are not able to use public transport
• Residents on a low income who would struggle to meet the cost of transport
• Residents who would not be able to participate in activities / events that support their health and wellbeing if the fund was not available

Intended outcomes

• That residents are active or sustained participants in community groups as a result of the support provided
• That residents are engaging with mainstream healthcare services i.e. services provided or funded by the NHS

Required documentation

Depending on the activity you are applying for funding for, and how much funding you are requesting, we may request certain documentation from you. This could include:

• Evidence of a management committee (the people who are responsible and make decisions – Trustees or Directors) of a minimum of three unrelated people
• A signed constitution (or set of rules)
• A bank account in the name of your group which requires two signatories 
• A Safeguarding Policy, if you are working with vulnerable people
• An Equality and Diversity Policy, if you are a constituted organisation
• Your most recent annual accounts
• Public Liability Insurance, if you are providing transport

Timeline 

• Expression of interest submission and initial meetings with the partnerships team to discuss your application to take place in July 2024
• Decisions will be made about projects and schemes that can be funded in mid-August 2024. 
• Funding agreements signed and payment made late August 2024
• An Interim monitoring report will be due in October 2024 and a final impact report in April 2025. These will be agreed with you and set out in the funding agreement

Other important information

The UKSPF Community Transport Grant is non recurrent funding and prioritisation will be given to funding applications that can demonstrate sustainable solutions.

This fund is not intended to replace the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Provision or the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.  Both alternatives should be explored in the first instance. 

Further information is available about the Surrey non-emergency hospital transport service  including Easy Read is available online as well as information about the Healthcare travel costs scheme.

For further information or if you have questions about the fund, please contact Funding@reigate-banstead.gov.uk