Active Richmond Fund

The Active Richmond Fund aims to support local groups and organisations to provide activities that promote an active and healthy lifestyle for borough residents. The fund exists to respond to both current and emerging needs, gaps and opportunities.

We particularly encourage applications from groups and organisations who are working with adults who are less active, 'hard to reach', in care or engaged with social prescribing.

Grant schemes

The Active Richmond Fund offers two grant schemes for applicants:

• Micro grants – up to £1,000
• Main grants – up to £5,000

Micro grants

Micro grants provide funding to help groups and organisations respond quickly to gaps and needs in the existing provision across Richmond.

For example, this could be funding for additional equipment or social prescribing places where there is high demand for an activity.

The micro grants application process is streamlined, with a quicker turnaround on grant award decisions.

Main grants

Main grants provide project focused funding, supporting groups and organisations to deliver activities in a more substantial way or over a longer period of time. Main grants support projects lasting up to 12 months.

For example, this could be developing new opportunities or expanding existing activities in other parts of the borough. Requests to this scheme can be wide ranging.

In certain circumstances, where a specific need has been identified, the Active Richmond Fund will consider a request for funding of up to £10,000. Contact the Grants team to discuss this further if you feel this level of funding is required for your project.

Eligibility

Applications will be considered from registered charities, voluntary groups, sports associations, social enterprises or constituted groups.

Applications from individual providers such as sole traders will be considered where they demonstrate wider community benefit and are clearly linked to the fund priorities.

The Active Richmond Fund is designed to support one-off projects and will only provide repeat funding in exceptional circumstances.

We may consider a further application where the project  will be extended to reach new cohorts of beneficiaries, for example if the project is expanding geographically or reaching a new target group of participants.

Refer to the application guidance notes for more information on eligibility, including what we do and do not fund.

Fund priorities

To apply to the fund you need to meet one or both overarching priorities, as well as at least one Public Heath Framework outcome.

Priority 1: Physical activities

A physical activity focused project should encourage adults who are not currently active to participate in physical activity that is appropriate for their ability and needs. 

Priority 2: Healthy eating and nutrition

A healthy eating and nutrition focused project should cover one or more of the following key outcomes:

1. Providing education and skills building on healthy eating and/or nutrition. This is essential
2. Increasing the accessibility or availability of healthier nutritious food
3. Promoting the acceptability of healthy eating and good nutrition
4. Building capacity for healthy food provision

In order to help you develop your healthy eating and nutrition project please use the guidance below. The guidance will advise you of the outcomes your project should seek to achieve and the types of planned activities you could develop.

• Healthy eating and nutrition project guidance

Applicants that are applying for funding for projects that improve physical activity levels are encouraged to consider incorporating healthy eating and nutrition into their project. For example, this could be offering healthier food options or providing information and advice after a physical activity session.

Public Health Framework outcomes

In addition to meeting at least one of the two overarching priorities your project should fulfil at least one of the following Public Health Framework outcomes:

1. Enhancing social connectedness and reducing social isolation
2. Mobilising physically inactive adults
3. Utilising green space for exercise and health reasons
4. Encouraging adults to regularly walk and cycle as a means of travel and leisure
5. Combatting obesity or excess weight
6. Enhancing the quality of life for people with care or support needs
7. Improving diet and nutrition through healthy eating
8. Ensuring people have a positive experience of care and support
9. Delaying and reducing the need for care and support in later life
10. Safeguarding adults whose circumstances make them vulnerable and protecting them from avoidable harm

Beneficiaries

The Active Richmond Fund encourages applications from those working with socially prescribed participants, less active individuals, 'hard to reach' groups, and those facing barriers to physical activities and healthy eating.

These include but are not limited to:

• People living with disabilities
• Unpaid carers
• People from ethnic minority backgrounds
• LBGTQ+ people
• Women
• People on low incomes
• Adults who are considered vulnerable
• Elderly people
• People living with long term medical conditions

We also encourage activities in locations in the borough where there is currently a gap in provision.

How to apply

Registered charities, voluntary groups, sports associations, social enterprises and individual providers can apply to the fund in line with one of the fund priorities.

Applications for funding can be submitted at any time throughout the year.

To apply for the Active Richmond Fund you will need to:

1. Download the relevant application form below
2. Complete the form with the required information
3. Email your completed application to ActiveRichmondFund@richmond.gov.uk

You can only submit one application to either the micro grants or main grants scheme at a time. 

Micro grant applications

Download the micro grants application form (MS Word, 77 KB) to complete. You can only apply for up to a maximum of £1,000.

We aim to respond to applicants with the outcome of their request within six weeks, providing they have supplied all the relevant information. This process can take longer if additional information is required.

Main grant applications

Download the main grants application form (MS Word, 78 KB) to complete. You can only apply for up to a maximum of £5,000. The Active Richmond Fund has a limited budget, so please take this into consideration when applying.

We aim to respond to applicants with the outcome of their request within ten weeks, providing they have supplied all the relevant information. This process can take longer if additional information is required.

In certain circumstances, where a specific need has been identified, the Active Richmond Fund will consider a request for funding of up to £10,000. Please contact the Grants team to discuss this further if you feel this level of funding is required for your project.

Equality and diversity

We very much welcome applications from Richmond’s range of diverse communities. If you require any of our forms (and documents) in an accessible format please get in touch with one of our officers. Please see officer contact details below.

Groups and organisations applying to the fund should consider how their project benefits and engages people from under-represented groups, for example, people living with disabilities, Black Asian Minority Ethnic groups, LGBTQI+ people, ‘hard to reach’ communities or people facing financial hardship. Your application should demonstrate how you plan on ensuring your project is inclusive and accessible to people with protected characteristics.

Help and advice

Find out about available help and advice to support your application.

After you apply

Your application will be processed and reviewed by the Voluntary Sector team in consultation with other Council departments.

An assessment of your application will be shared with the Public Health Department who will decide whether to award a grant.

You will be notified by email if your application is successful and your project is granted funding.

Successful applications

If your application is successful you will need to complete the grant acceptance form, sign the terms and conditions and fulfil any grant conditions. Once these steps are complete the funding will be transferred to your designated bank account.

Projects must be completed within 12 months of receiving funding.

Successful applicants will be required to complete and submit a monitoring report to the Grants team within 12 months of receiving funding. View an example project monitoring form below.

• Example project monitoring form (MS Word)

Rejected applications 

If your application is rejected you will be provided with advice on alternative funding sources and support to develop the project.

Unsuccessful applicants can reapply to either the micro grants or main grants fund but their funding request must be for a different project or have addressed the recommendations made by officers in declining the original application.

Previous awards

Find out about previous recipients of the Active Richmond Fund.

Contact

For more information and guidance on applying to the Active Richmond Fund please contact the Grants team on 020 8487 5112 or email ActiveRichmondFund@richmond.gov.uk.