Brentwood Connected Small Grant Scheme
Brentwood Connected Small Grant Scheme
The Brentwood Connected Business Improvement District (BID) has launched a small grant scheme for 2024 that will see up to £20,000 distributed for local project delivery.
Organisations can apply for up to £2,500 per annum for projects that deliver creative and innovative initiatives or events that will have a positive impact within the BID area. Funding of up to £5,000 will be considered for large scale community projects that are delivered across Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone.
Applications can be submitted per quarter and will be scored by a panel of members from the Brentwood Business Partnership (BBP).
The third round of applications are open from Monday 21 October 2024 until Saturday 30 November 2024. This round of funding will be for project delivery between November - February 2025.
Successful applicants will be notified within three weeks of their submission.
The grant funding application schedule is as follows:
| Application window | Project delivery window |
|---|---|
| March 2024 (now closed) | April, May and June 2024 |
| June 2024 (now closed) | July, August and September 2024 |
| October 2024 | November and December 2024, January and February 2025 |
- All projects must align with at least one of Brentwood Connected’s priorities:
- Improving places: To dress our streets and create an environment for people to stay longer
- Promoting places: To attract new visitors and additional spend through marketing and events
- Welcoming places: To ensure our locations are well-managed, safe and friendly
- Connecting places: To create great places to live, work and invest.
- Projects and events must be delivered within the BID boundary.
- You must be a registered business, charity, CIC or community organisation.
- You must evidence there is a demand for the project or event within one or more BID area. If you are not a BID member, you will need to include letters of support from nearby businesses who are current BID levy payers.
- It is important that your project is supporting local businesses; for example, by driving additional footfall, encouraging repeat visits or extending dwell time. You must demonstrate how at least three BID businesses will benefit from your project.
- Match funding is not essential but will score higher. Match funding can be in the form of in-kind hours, which will need to be costed at an hourly rate of £20. Any other financial contributions or equipment should be included as match funding.
- Priority will be given to those businesses, charities, CICs and community organisations who meet the criteria and have not previously requested funding.
- The maximum annual amount that is likely be awarded to any one business, charity, CIC or community group per annum is £2,500. Brentwood Connected BID reserves the right to award larger grants in exceptional circumstances.
- Applications will be made via a Word form. Please send an email to brentwoodconnected@brentwood.gov.uk.
- Brentwood Connected BID reserves the right to amend the grant guidance with each application window. Applicants should review the guidance carefully before applying.
Please read the full criteria and scoring matrix before submitting an application.
Please email brentwoodconnected@brentwood.gov.uk with an expression of interest that includes an outline of your project and a draft budget. Your expression of interest will be reviewed. If the project meets the basic criteria of the grant scheme, you will be sent a full application form to submit.
If your project falls outside the criteria of the small grant scheme, you will receive feedback.
Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone Shop Improvement Scheme
Grants of up to £2k are available from Brentwood Borough Council for shop front and accessibility improvements. A total of £30k will be distributed to town centre businesses in Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone in 2024. This scheme is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.