Lloyds Bank is running its annual community fund promotion as part of its responsible business programme and inviting nominations for local good causes in the UK.
Anyone over the age of 18 years and who is resident in the UK can nominate a project or a service that makes a positive difference to the local community for a cash prize. Awards range from £3,000 for a first place to £2,000 for a second place, £1,000 for a third place, and £500 for a fourth place.
Last year more than 1,560 community groups, in almost 400 communities across the UK, received an award. It expected that there will be even more winners this year.
In 2014, the programme is hoping to support a wide range of projects, including but not limited to the following examples:
• Enterprise - Programmes which provide opportunities for young and elderly to understand or develop new enterprise.
• Community connections - projects which help build communities through provision of group classes, coffee mornings, etc.
• Employability - Initiatives which help develop employability skills (CV writing / interview techniques) for those out of work.
• Upgrading of local community-based facilities, ie sports centres, community halls, libraries or community cafes/hubs.
• Access to facilities - support the young, elderly or disabled groups to help create new facilities, access to, or engagement with support facilities, ie libraries, baking clubs, farmers markets, meals on wheels.
• Regeneration of community spaces, ie public parks, garden allotments, etc.
• Specialist equipment or help - for groups which support young people, elderly, families or disabled groups, ie sports kit for youth centres, yoga instructors for elderly care homes.
To be eligible for nomination, the organisation must:
• Be a registered charity, not-for-profit community organisation or group or social enterprise
• Have a bank account
• Be established before 1 January 2014
• Be based, operate and benefit communities within the UK
• Make local communities better for the people who live and work in them
The process is straightforward. Lloyds Bank will review the nominees and the groups which are eligible will be invited to apply. Lloyds Bank colleagues will then assess the completed applications and draw up a shortlist which will go to public vote in September and October. The public will decide which good causes will receive an award within each community.
The following are not eligible:
• Organisations who received a £3,000 Community Fund award in 2013
• Political charities or projects
• Animal welfare charities and projects where the end beneficiary is an animal
• A grant giving organisation where the funds will be further distributed
For further information and to apply, visit: https://communityfund.lloydsbank.com/communityfund/cf_home.asp
The deadline for nominations: 30 April 2014, 6pm