Thanet District Council has awarded grant funding totalling £136,032, to seven local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) groups providing services in the district.
The funding has been awarded through Thanet Community Development Programme. This programme has been set up to help voluntary, community and social enterprise groups. It provides funding for year-long pilot schemes for projects tackling some of the challenges faced by people living in the five communities identified for support. These are defined by electoral ward: Cliftonville West, Dane Valley and Margate Central, in Margate; and Newington and Northwood, and Central Harbour and Eastcliff in Ramsgate.
The Thanet Community Development Programme funding was awarded over two phases.
Nine grants of £1,500 were awarded in January 2024 during the first phase of the programme, totalling £13,500. This funding supported community organisations to develop their business plans.
In this latest phase, nine organisations presented their business plans to the Grants Review Panel, showcasing their project in person. The panel was made up of officers from the council’s Regeneration, Finance and Democratic Services teams. Following the presentations, seven organisations were awarded one-off grants of between £10,000 and £20,000, totalling over £136,032.
Each successful organisation, the amount awarded and the name of the project, are as follows:
- 21 Together: awarded £20,000 to develop a centre in Broadstairs to support children and young people with Down’s Syndrome across the district.
- East Kent Mencap: awarded £16,100 to scale up their Ramsgate Scrap Store.
- Kent Coast Volunteering: awarded £19,990.20 for their district-wide Youth Volunteering Project.
- Sports Connect Community CIC: awarded £20,000 for their Margate Education, Health and Activity Hub.
- Thanet Judokwai: awarded £20,000 to develop a Wellbeing and Practice Garden in Margate.
- The Hive CIC: awarded £19,990 to develop a dedicated, purpose-built centre in Ramsgate, to support young people and adults with SEND.
- Windmill Community Gardens: awarded £19,952.30 for their Community Roots Learning programme in Dane Valley, Margate.
Bob Porter, Director of Place for Thanet District Council, said: “The seven successful organisations impressed the Grants Review Panel with the scope and creativity of their business plans. Each of the pilot projects has the potential to improve the lives of local people.”
Funding was also awarded to the Thanet Community Small Grants Fund in March 2024. One-off grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 were distributed to 26 local VCSE groups, totalling over £194,000. The funding supports a range of local projects.
The full list of awards is available on the council’s website.
Find out more about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Thanet on the council’s website.
