Boston announces new Covid-19 grant scheme

£20,000 of funding has been made available by Boston Borough Council to community groups and organisations in the BTAC area of Boston.

The BTAC Empowering Healthy Communities Grant Scheme is for community groups and organisations wanting to contribute directly to their town centre community and are looking for support with Covid-19 recovery and to build future resilience following the impact of the pandemic.

The scheme will operate using BTAC’s Community Grants Policy with a scoring matrix based on the requirements of the Committee and the Empowering Healthy Communities Board and is consistent with BTAC’s Terms of Reference; easy to understand; flexible; inclusive.  It includes a pre-assessment process with officers with only those applications scoring above a defined threshold to be considered by a Working Group of Members to make recommendations to the full committee.

Just like the existing small grant scheme groups and organisations can apply for funds of up to £1,000 contribution towards a large project or to fund a project in its entirety, whether it is for venue hire, to purchase small items of equipment, to cover insurance costs or to produce publicity materials.

Cllr Martin Griggs, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Communities and Chairman of the Empowering Health Communities Programme, said: “We’re really excited to launch this scheme, we would like to encourage eligible groups to put their ideas and applications forward to join us in helping to make the town the very best it can be.”

Cllr Paul Goodale, Chairman of BTAC, added: “This is a huge addition to our existing community grant scheme and we were delighted that the EHC Programme chose to provide us with this opportunity. BTAC support initiatives that have a direct benefit and positive impact on Boston’s town centre neighbourhoods and communities. The Committee is committed to working in partnership with local people to deliver the Council’s overall priorities to secure better services for less money and share opportunities and responsibilities wherever possible.

“I very much look forward to seeing peoples applications come in and seeing what great ideas the people of Boston have to help improve the area.”

For more information and full guidelines and a map of the scheme’s area of eligibility please visit www.mybostonuk.com/empowering-healthy-communities-grant-scheme/

There will be 2 rounds in this financial year (2021/2022). The first round is now open and the application submission deadline is Thursday 30^th September 2021.

If you are interested in applying then please contact Maddy Eyre, BTAC Grant Administrator, for an application pack by emailing maddy.eyre@boston.gov.uk