Locality Budgets 2024-2025 are now open for application. Please ensure that you have spoken to the elected member/s about your project before applying and that they have indicated their support.
Each of our county councillors has an annual locality budget, to be used as a fund of last resort, of £8,000 that they can use to respond to local needs within any financial year (April to March).
Councillors can, if they wish, make grants to support projects or activities that benefit the communities they represent.
Please note that if your project is Highways related (this would include grit bins, signage of any type, fixed street furniture of any kind, verge ploughing etc). Please call 01392 388135 or 01392 383666 and speak to one of the team for advice before proceeding with an application
How is data being used?
You can use our Power BI data dashboard to see how the budgets are being allocated. You will be able to look at where the funds are being spent and the projects that are benefitting. As this is a new way of us sharing this information, we would welcome any feedback. Please email any comments to locality.budgets@devon.gov.uk.
What are we able to fund?
Due to the diverse nature of Devon’s communities, it is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of eligible projects. However, there is some general guidance below.
Locality budget funding is available to projects that are beneficial to local communities and should be in line with the Council’s objectives and priorities which are to:
- improve health and wellbeing
- help communities be safe, connected and resilient
- be ambitious for children and young people
- support sustainable economic recovery
- tackle poverty and inequality
- respond to the climate emergency
We particularly welcome applications that align with the Council’s Strategic Plan. All projects should include some other financial contribution(s) or local support or both.
We are unable to fund:
- retrospective applications for projects or activities that have already been completed, or items that have been purchased
- individuals or for-private-profit organisations
- projects that are solely for the benefit of animals
- projects that are in support of a single faith without wider community benefit – this includes fabric repairs to church buildings (also clock faces, bells), churchyards and cemetery walls
- projects or items that are the responsibility of another public body (for example, NHS, local authority)
- projects that are delegating any acquired funds to third parties
- ongoing yearly commitments
- projects to reinstate funding relating to a reduction in a County Council service or activity arising from an earlier policy decision of the County Council or other public body, with some exceptions
- political activities
- salaries, wages, or expenses of persons employed by a not-for-private-profit organisation unless these are finite, sessional charges and do not imply any ongoing commitment
- the costs of an outing, trip, holiday or excursion by an individual or group of people; with some exceptions for groups where learning and development will arise
We discourage applications from organisations targeting all members.
Who can apply?
Applications are accepted from constituted and not-for-private-profit voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector groups and organisations, town and parish councils, charities or businesses (who have an eligible sponsor), or a combination of such groups working together.
Projects that are highways-related need to involve the relevant neighbourhood highway officer.
Non-constituted groups without their own, separate bank account, small local businesses and individuals may apply but they will need to do so with the support of an accountable constituted organisation acting on their behalf as sponsor or guarantor and as the recipient of the grant. If you fall into this category, organisations that DCC would accept as guarantor or fund holder include:
- town or parish councils
- local community and voluntary services organisation (CVS)
- village hall
- another constituted local voluntary group that qualifies
If you received Locality Budget funding last year. Please ensure that you have completed your project report. If you have not yet, then you can do so here: submit a project report Please ensure that you use your Locality Budget reference number (e.g. LB001) You can find this reference on any emails that we have sent you about your grant. If applicants do have outstanding project reports, this may affect future applications.
Applying organisations should have:
- a governing document appropriate to the recognised status of the organisation and which outlines clear charitable purposes and includes a dissolution clause or asset lock, for example, constitution, set of rules or articles of association
- a management committee of at least 3 unconnected members, for example, trustees, directors or management committee
- annual accounts or financial records that clearly record annual income and expenditure breakdowns
- a bank account in the name of the organisation and a minimum of two unconnected bank signatories, or equivalent
- unrestricted reserves of less than 12 months running costs
- up-to-date safeguarding policies in place to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults, where appropriate
- up-to-date equality policies
How to apply
To discuss a locality budget fund application, you should first contact your local county councillor. Please note that before any application is assessed, the local county councillor will be contacted to confirm that they wish to support.
Once your local councillor has confirmed their intent to support your project, please complete the online application form.
Please note that your local councillor’s pledge is an in-principle agreement and should not be regarded as a commitment until such time as the application has been processed and you are notified of the outcome.
You should also note that it is only necessary to make one application, even if you are seeking funding from multiple councillors for the same project. There is an option on the form where you can name all the councillors from whom you are seeking funding. Just indicate whichever names apply and ensure you state how much funding you are seeking from each councillor.
When prompted on the application form, please include a summary of the particular project, item or activity for which the funding is required.
If you are applying to us to part fund your activity, do make sure you tell us the total cost of the work and where the remaining balance will be coming from. The budget asks for a breakdown of different elements of your intended spend. It is often not necessary to explain the history of your organisation.
Give as much detail as you can and itemise your costs so that we understand how the totals have been arrived at and how our funding relates to other support you may receive.
Successful applications may take up to 28 working days to be processed. Applicants are therefore advised to bear this in mind when making an application to the fund.
Additional information
As part of our assessment of your application, and to gain an understanding of your work, we may also look at:
- your organisation’s records on Companies House or the Charity Commission
- your website or social media or both to gain an understanding of your work
- publicly available information about networks, partnerships or projects that you are part of
We will use the information you provide us with as part of your application, together with any additional information we have looked at, to consider the governance and financial health and diligence of your organisation to ensure that our grant is in safe hands.
If you are successful in getting funding for your idea/initiative, you will be asked to submit a project report on how your project went. We will require:
- details of approximately how many people benefited from the funding
- what difference the funding has made to the organisation or beneficiaries or both
- details of any challenges faced during the funded project or activity and how they were overcome
- examples of positive stories that have occurred as a result of the funding – you can include any GDPR-compliant publicity
We may request copies of related invoices and receipts, so please retain these for three years. Additionally, we reserve the right to request the return of part or all grant funding if the project has deviated from the aims of the fund without prior notification or is underspent.
If your application is unsuccessful, we may be able to share your application with other Devon funders who may be interested in your project. We will ask you to confirm your permission before we do this.
Full terms and conditions
Full details of the specific Devon County Council terms and conditions relating to these grant schemes form part of the application process and require projects to accept them before any funds are released.
However, there are some generic conditions that apply to all the grant schemes, which your group or organisation project needs to be aware of. Read the full terms and conditions here. You can also read about the information we collect.
If you need any more information please contact locality.budgets@devon.gov.uk.