Communities urged to apply for PCF grants

THE Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) has this week opened for grant applications of up to £10,000 thanks to support from Barclays.

In April last year, Barclays announced a £100m Community Aid Package to support charities that are helping people and communities most impacted by Covid-19. £10m of this funding has been donated through their 100x100 UK Covid-19 Community Relief Programme, with the PCF being one of 100 charities receiving a donation of £100,000.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund, established by the Prince of Wales in 2010, was chosen by a selection committee to support the long-term resilience and sustainability of the UK’s rural communities following the Covid-19 pandemic to offer grant funding to projects in economically deprived, rural areas which are delivering vital community services and enhancing the lives of people who live there.

Since the start of the pandemic, the PCF has given out over £365,000 to 101 rural communities.

Commenting as the grant round opened yesterday, Keith Halstead, executive director of the Prince’s Countryside Fund, said: “The Prince’s Countryside Fund is a nation-wide charity which powers community-led solutions through our grant programmes and now thanks to Barclays we can support even more communities in rural areas who are tackling the impact of Covid-19.

“We particularly want to invest in those groups and organisations in settlements, villages and small towns across the UK who are at the forefront of responding quickly to the changing needs of their locality. We have seen how the ability to change builds resilience and, therefore, through this additional funding from Barclays, we specifically want to help projects which will really make an impact on the ground enabling their community to bounce back and thrive.”

The grant round opened yesterday for rural communities from across the UK to apply for grants of up to £10,000, and will close when enough eligible applications have been received. Successful projects will build on the community’s responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and must show how they are contributing to the resilience of the community.

Applications for grants should be from settlements with up to 3,000 residents and properly constituted, community-led organisations with a turnover under £500,000 per year, which can demonstrate to the PCF how beneficiaries will be drawn from the local community.

Nigel Higgins, chairman of the Barclays Group, added: “Covid-19 has created an unprecedented social and economic impact in the UK, with many now sadly experiencing greater hardship due to the crisis.

“Incredible charities, such as the Prince’s Countryside Fund, have been playing a vital role in the UK’s response to the pandemic, ensuring urgent help reaches those most in need of support.”

To apply, please visit www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/grants