How to apply for Large Community Projects funding

Your Fund Surrey update

Your Fund Surrey launched in 2020 and is now reaching the end of funds available. Given the number of projects already in the pipeline, we encourage applicants to consider whether they meet the following criteria before applying:

  • All approvals in place, such as planning permission or landowners permission
  • Match funding in place
  • Long leases (see Terms and Conditions)

If your Idea Submission is approved by the YFS team, we would recommend Full Submissions are in within the next 6 months (see FAQS for application deadlines) to have the best chance of securing some funding, which is awarded on a first-come-first-served basis.

The following assessment round (March 2025) will require full submissions by end November 2024 with Have Your Say live through December 2024.

If you are interested in applying for Your Fund Surrey Large Community Projects funding, here's how to do it:

Think you have a great idea that meets the basic criteria? Post your idea on the Commonplace map and take a look at what else is happening in your local area.

If you would like to discuss a potential project, or wanted to understand what similar organisations may already be active in your local area, you could contact one of our Community Link Officers. Each borough has a designated Community Link Officer. Take a look at the Your Local Area webpages to contact yours.

Submit a project to the fund via a simple Your Fund Surrey application form. The Your Fund Surrey Team will assess your Idea Submission and provide feedback.

If you would like to apply, please email the team at yourfund@surreycc.gov.uk who will send you a link to the idea submission form.

Please refer to this Ideas submission help and guidance document (PDF) which will help you get prepared for submitting your idea.

If your proposal meets the criteria for the Fund, you will be sent a checklist of documentation required for full submission and advised what documentation will be required for your project (this will vary depending on the overall value and complexity of your project). When you think you have all the necessary evidence you are invited to contact Your Fund Surrey, who will issue you a link to submit.

Please take a look at the Full submission guidance document (PDF) which will help you getting prepared for submitting your application. Some or all of the following supporting documents will need to be completed as part of you Full Submission application.

Please note that planning permission will need to be in place at this stage of the application.

Alongside the Full Submission, all projects will also be provided with a 'project engagement page' from the Your Fund Surrey Commonplace site. These pages will be used to gain a deeper understanding of how local communities feel about project proposals. Projects will be hosted on the Commonplace website for a period of up to 28 days, beginning whenever applicants choose. At the end of this period, a summary report will be produced. Applicants will be supported throughout this time by the Your Fund Surrey team.

The Your Fund Surrey team will formally assess and score applications against the set criteria for the Fund. Applications are scored by two Your Fund Surrey officers and at least one member of the Expert Hub using a weighted scoring matrix. In addition, the finance team will assess the overall financial stability of the project.

The Your Fund Surrey team will be in contact after the first round of scoring and may ask for further clarification and additional documents to complete the final assessment.

The Your Fund Surrey Advisory Panel will review full applications to inform the final officer recommendations to the appropriate decision maker. In some cases, a site visit may be requested.

All financial decisions will then be taken within the County Council's formal decision making process as outlined below:

  • Projects up to £100,000 delegated to the Executive Director with direct responsibility for the delivery of Your Fund Surrey
  • Projects between £100,000 and £500,000 delegated to the appropriate Cabinet Member as determined by the Leader
  • Projects over £500,000 decision taken by Cabinet (please note, Cabinet meetings take place each month of the year, except August)

Depending on the value and complexity of the project, it can take between 3 to 6 months from full submission to a funding decision.

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