Eligibility criteria for RBH Community Funding

RBH Community grants are between £250 up to a maximum of £5000.

Applicants are limited to one project grant in any financial year (1st April to 31st March).

Your group must:

  • Be an unincorporated association (community group), registered charity or CIC/CIO (Community Interest Company or Organisation) with a turnover of less than £150,000 in the previous financial year
  • Have a bank account open in the name of the group
  • Ensure your group is not already running an RBH community fund project - we will only fund one project at a time with your group
  • Agree to provide monitoring information on your project as requested by us
  • Keep up to date financial records and retain receipts for all goods and services purchased with the grant if you are successful
  • Ensure monitoring information for any previous RBH community grant has been completed and submitted to us - you won’t be able to apply to our community fund again until this is completed

Your project must:

  • Deliver its funded activities entirely within the borough of Rochdale
  • Clearly explain in your application how your project will benefit RBH households and neighbourhoods
  • Be completed within 2 years from the receipt of your grant
  • Meet any current government guidelines around Covid-19
  • Not have already started

If you are a community group based in one of our Independent Living Schemes (ILS), you will not be able to apply - please contact the Community Investment Team via communitypartnership@rbh.org.uk or 01706 273977 to find out about our funding scheme for Independent Living Scheme groups.

What we can and can't help with

  • Sessional workers to deliver activities
  • Room/venue hire (up to a maximum of £15 per hour)
  • Additional venue running costs that are specific to your project
  • Equipment hire or purchases needed for your project (this can include a specific item of equipment that benefits individuals participating in a project – for example a slow cooker given to every participant at the end of a cooking on a budget course)
  • Training
  • Food and drink for participants (up to a maximum of £5 per head)
  • Publicity materials for your project (up to a maximum of £500)
  • Volunteer expenses (for example transport costs, lunches)
  • Projects that duplicate existing provision in your community
  • Salaries or paying your own employees
  • Day to day running costs of your group - for example utility bills
  • Routine repairs and maintenance
  • Purchase of motorised vehicles
  • Purchase of property
  • Purchase of alcohol
  • Debts or fines of the organisation
  • Political or religious activities
  • Fundraising activities for your organisation
  • "Fun day" type events or one-off social outings - for example a coach trip to a theme park
  • Bouncy castle hire or purchase, nail art, or face painting activities
  • Costs you incur when putting together your application
  • Things you have already paid for

If your group is not eligible to apply for funding, you can contact our Community Investment Team for advice - we'd be happy to help. Contact us on communitypartnership@rbh.org.uk or 01706 273977.

Our friends at Action Together can also provide information on other sources of grant funding and support to new community groups.