A new website is offering a helping hand to voluntary groups, community organisations and sports clubs looking for new sources of funding.
Durham 4 Community includes information on a wide range of local, regional and national funding schemes available in County Durham.
By signing up for free, groups and organisations can search for specific types of funding support or simply browse what is available before applying through the site.
Durham 4 Community, which can be found on Durham County Council’s website at www.durham.gov.uk/communityfunding, also includes helpful background information on different types of funding as well as tips for producing a successful application.
Andrew Megginson, principal area action partnership coordinator at the council, said: “There are hundreds of funding schemes available for voluntary and community groups in County Durham. However, finding the right one is not always easy.
“We recognised that a central source of information specifically for organisations working in County Durham could prove invaluable.
“The new website will act as a signpost for groups, making them aware of what is available and helping them identify the funding sources that are most appropriate for them – and ultimately, helping to bring more money into the county to support the community and voluntary sector.”
Cllr Brian Stephens, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and local partnerships, said: “We are very supportive of the community and voluntary sector in County Durham and have helped hundreds of projects secure additional funding.
“Only recently, for example, we have seen Citizens’ House in Consett awarded £650,000 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities programme towards a complete rebuild of the community centre.
“We’ve also just heard that Shotton Community Centre is to receive £495,000 from the Big Lottery Fund towards a new £1 million community centre. The rest of the money will come from a range of sources, including the council and a range of charitable trusts. The new website represents a continuation of the support we are providing by enabling us to signpost groups to funding sources so that they can maximise the opportunities that are available to them.”
