Enfield Council is inviting community groups to bid for grants of up to £60,000 to fund projects that will help develop their neighbourhoods and improve the day-to-day lives of communities.
The Enfield Communities Fund, totalling up to £1.4 million, will be disbursed in two rounds, with bidding for the first running from 10th May until 9th July. The second round will take place in 2022.
The council is looking to fund innovative projects that will help reduce deprivation, improve the environment and widen access to opportunities, such as jobs, training and local services. Projects could include improvements to open spaces, new community facilities, a scheme to combat loneliness or food-growing initiatives. Bids can be made by charities, voluntary groups, public bodies, educational institutions and other community groups based in the borough.
A rain garden on the Haselbury Estate. Rain gardens are among the projects that could be funded - they fulfil multiple objectives, reducing flood risk, cleaning water on its way to the Lee and the Thames, and beautifying neighbourhoods
Examples of projects which might qualify are:
- improvements to streets and local green spaces;
- flood risk management solutions (e.g. storage);
- habitat creation and restoration (e.g. wildlife corridors);
- climate change mitigation and adaptation (e.g. carbon sequestration and sustainable urban drainage systems);
- community gardens/orchards;
- skills and training (e.g. digital technology);
- community safety measures;
- festivals and events;
- new community, health and social care facilities; and
- on-going maintenance and management of assets.
The £1.4 million comprises the Neighbourhood Portion (15 per cent) of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) money paid by developers to Enfield Council since 2016. CIL is levied on most new developments, such as homes, retail and commercial developments. The bulk of CIL money is spent on major infrastructure projects (the Strategic Portion - 80 per cent).
