Local projects are encouraged to bid for £1.885m of Good Growth Programme funding to help to tackle deprivation and level up communities across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The Council is launching the first grants from the community levelling up element of the Good Growth Programme. Open to all communities, bids to the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly community levelling up fund are especially welcome from parishes and villages that may not have seen major benefits from other funding sources such as the town deal, future high streets and town vitality fund. However, applications from all areas of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will be considered.
Potential applicants can include community organisations, community interest companies, businesses, faith groups and town or parish councils seeking investment of £5,000 to £200,000 for:
- Refurbishing, re-purposing, renovating and creating new buildings on high streets and neighbourhood shopping areas to help deliver increased footfall, increased economic activity and pride in place.
- Funding for new, or improvements to existing, community and neighbourhood infrastructure, projects that deliver improved public spaces and economic regeneration.
- Activity designed to support community engagement and involvement in decision making about local regeneration.
Applications will be prioritised if they demonstrate sustainable and low carbon approaches to community regeneration and set out how people and skills opportunities can be included as part of wider project delivery. All activity must demonstrate how it will complement and not duplicate mainstream and other funded activity.
Applications for Community Levelling Up are open now until the end of January 2023 and funded projects will have until the end of March 2024 to complete their projects.
Read more about Community Levelling Up fund and how to apply
Cllr Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, said:
“The Government has approved the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Investment Plan, which sets out how the £132million Shared Prosperity Fund will be spent. The three-year investment plan prioritises support for local businesses and communities as well as boosts to residents’ job skills. All projects will contribute to creating a sustainable future with more skilled jobs, greener and more inclusive work opportunities and investments in communities and places.
“We’re now ready to begin awarding contracts to successful applicants who submitted projects to the first round of funding and to launch this latest initiative where communities can get involved in the levelling up agenda. The Community Levelling Up Programme will enable us to engage residents across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly in looking at how they can contribute to regenerating the places in which they live.”
Cllr Steve Sims, Isles of Scilly Council portfolio holder for transport, economy and tourism said:
“This is a great opportunity for the Islands, the criteria is a lot less restrictive than it was with the voucher scheme and LAG funding, and more appropriate for our economy, so the Islands can really take advantage of the Community Levelling Up Programme. I hope we get a lot of interesting (and successful) bids from across the Islands.”
Potential applicants will be able to access advice and support through the Community Levelling Up team, which is hosted by Cornwall Council, who can help them develop their funding bid. Requests for assistance can be sent via email to CommunityLevellingUp@cornwall.gov.uk
This project has received £1.885m from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Cornwall Council is managing the delivery of the Shared Prosperity Fund on behalf of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
