PRIDE AT WORK – Bids Now Open For The Pride Social Impact Fund
Community groups and good causes across Brighton and Hove are being invited to bid for grants to put Pride in our city.
Now in its fifth year, the Pride Social Impact Fund ensures the positive contribution of the UK’s most popular LGBT celebrations continues year round.
Applications for the 2019/20 pot are now open – and, thanks to the generosity of Pride attendees and local businesses, more than £30,000 is available to distribute to grassroots groups across Brighton and Hove who need a helping hand to support their work.
Applicants just need to send proposals of up to 400 words for up to £1,000 of funding by midday on December 9 to Bhsocialimpactfund@gmail.com
Tim Ridgway, chairman of the Pride Social Impact Fund, said: “In just a few years the Pride Social Impact Fund has given dozens of grassroots groups across Brighton and Hove invaluable support, ensuring that Pride has a positive impact on residents across the city all year round. Thanks once again to the support of Pride attendees and local businesses I am delighted to say that this year we have an incredible £30,000 to distribute to good causes. So whether your idea is big or small, Iurge groups across the city to submit their bids as soon as they can and look forward to being able to help some amazing grassroots groups put a little bit of Pride back into our city.”
This year we have an incredible £30,000 to distribute to good causes
Launched in 2016, the Pride Social Impact Fund has distributed nearly £80,000 to groups across the city so far.Projects put forward do not have to be LGBT related; they don’t even have to be directly-linked to Pride (although applicants directly impacted will be favoured).
However big or small, the only criteria is that it will brighten up people’s lives by the time Pride comes round again next year.This year, more than £30,000 is available for groups to bid for.Funding comes from money raised through the Love BN1 Festival in Preston Park and £7,520 from businesses within the Pride Village party, as well as £10,000 of unspent money from 2018/19.
The application process for this year’s fund is open now and bids will be considered by a panel made up of representatives from The Argus, BBC Sussex, Brighton & Hove News, Brighton & Hove Independent, Sussex Life,Latest magazine and Latest TV.
Last year the panel handed out more than £45,000 to 40 community groups and charities across Brighton and Hove.One of those grants was £672 to provide matching kit complete with Social Impact Fund logo for the St Peter’s Women’s and Girls Cricket Club.
Bridget Allen, of the cricket club, said: “Thanks so much for sponsoring our women’s cricket team with kit. Our first event was a 6 a side tournament against five other teams and we won. Having the smart kit has given the team great confidence and bolstered the team spirit.”
The panel also awarded £500 to Community, Advice, Support and Education (CASE) to fund a science festival for dozens of families on low income in Hollingdean.
Felton Shortall, of CASE, said: “We would like to thank Pride Social Impact Fund for the donation of £500 that has helped make this free event possible. It has given many families in our deprived neighbourhood the opportunity to have fun learning about science that they would otherwise not have been able to afford.”
Another group to benefit was the Bees in the Woods Forest School,which received £960 to pay for isolated older people and their carers to attend forest school sessions along with under fives in East hill Park in Portslade.
When the project launched Simone Thorn, of Bees in the Woods, said:“It was a lovely opening with everyone involved and the very proud little Acorns were delighted at all the thanks and fuss they received from the Great Oaks. There was also woodland crafts, play in the mud kitchen and lots of chatter and smiles.”
HOW TO APPLY
The Social Impact Fund has been set up to provide small grants for communal good. Grants are awarded annually to organisations or groups within the city with particular emphasis on areas directly affected or in the footprint of Brighton and Hove Pride.
Submissions should be a maximum of 400 words mapping out how the money will be spent and why the cause is deserving. Please note the maximum award will be £1,000. There is no lower limit.The panel also has the potential of awarding one or two larger grants of up to £10,000. These bids need to comprehensively meet the criteria,namely supporting good causes in areas directly impacted by Pride.
There is no restriction on numbers of entries by individual groups. However, the emphasis is on supporting community and grassroots groups, rather than individuals.
Please submit it by midday on December 9 by email to Bhsocialimpactfund@gmail.com
Applications will be considered by a panel of local media representatives with successful applicants informed by the end of December.
Any money distributed needs to have had a visible outcome by the start of Pride 2020
