Community groups and charities in Thetford are being reminded to apply for a share of funding from Thetford Town Council.
A total of £25,000 has been made available for local groups to bid for as part of a Participatory Budgeting process whereby members of the public get to vote and decide who receives a share of the funding.
Participatory budgeting is a form of citizen participation in which citizens are involved in the process of deciding how public money is spent. The Town Council agreed at the end of January to allocate £25,000 to support local community groups in recognition of the cost of living crisis and impact on finances. The opportunity has been branded the ‘Unlocking Thetford’s Potential Fund’.
Councillor Terry Jermy, Chairman of the Council’s Finance and Personnel Committee said; “This is a great opportunity for voluntary and community groups in Thetford and I am so pleased that the Town Council has been able to make this money available. There has been lots of interest shown in this funding opportunity and I urge all groups locally that have expressed an interest to make sure they return their completed forms before the deadline. If you haven’t applied as of yet, there is still time and the application forms are very simple and straightforward”.
Community groups and charities will need to comply with the usual Thetford Town Council rules regarding eligibility. Applicants will need to have a constitution and bank account and, if relevant, will need to provide risk assessments and any insurances for the activities or work that they want to undertake with the funding.
The fund is now open and applications must be submitted before 5pm on Monday 4th March 2024. The deadline has been extended slightly to give groups the chance to finalise their bids. The public meeting to determine the successful applicants will be confirmed at a later date. For more information and to apply, contact 01842 754247 or [email protected]
