Bristol Impact Fund: Small grants

Image credit: Magalita B, via Flickr (flickr.com/photos/tigerlily80).

For information about 2021's Bristol Impact Fund 2, please click here.

The Bristol Impact Fund, formerly known as the VCS Grants Prospectus, funds projects that tackle the city’s inequalities and builds on communities' strengths. Since its launch in 2016, the grant programme has funded a range of projects by organisations and collaborations across Bristol. 

Voscur is supporting Bristol City Council (BCC) to reach organisations eligible for the second round of small grants, worth up to £20,000 over two years. Grants begin on 1 December 2019, and expressions of interest must be submitted by 26 July 2019.

Grants can be used to tackle one or more of the following issues:

• Reducing financial, food and fuel poverty.
• Improving access to information, services and opportunities in the city; increasing digital inclusion.
• Enabling influence and participation in the community.
• Tackling unemployment and underemployment.
• Reducing social isolation and improving mental health and wellbeing.

Projects should support the city of Bristol by:

• Giving the right help at the right time.
• Helping people to help themselves and each other.
• Building on the strengths of people and communities.
• Connecting people and organisations within and across communities.

Bristol City Council is particularly interested in applications from Filwood, Hartcliffe and Withywood - areas of deprivation that were less represented in the first round of small grants.

Organisations previously awarded a small grant can be funded again, either with a one-year extension for their funded project, or through a new application for a significantly different project.

For more information, including application forms and guidance, please click here. For online tools and resources to help you with your application, click here. 

Important dates for small grants applicants

Monday 1 - Friday 26 July 2019: Expressions of Interest to Bristol City Council.
July 2019: Bookable support surgeries with Voscur’s development team. 
August 2019: Stage two of application process - see below for workshop details.
Sunday 1 September - Saturday 14 September 2019: Project discussions phase, with Voscur’s development team, meeting organisations in community spaces.
Monday 14 October 2019: Deadline to submit small grant application forms to Bristol City Council.
November 2019: Decisions and Funding Agreements.
December 2019: Grants start.

Stage Two of Application Process
For groups that are through to stage two Voscur will be running 'Preparing for your Panel Interview' workshops:

1) Tuesday 27 August 2019, 9am - 10.30pm - Click here to book your place 
2) Tuesday 27 August 2019, 11am - 12.30pm - Click here to book your place
3) Thursday 29 August 2019, 4.30pm - 6pm - Click here to book your place - FULLY BOOKED
4) Thursday 29 August 2019, 6.15pm - 7.45pm - Click here to book your place - FULLY BOOKED
5) Tuesday 3 September 2019, 4.30pm - 6pm - Click here to book your place - FULLY BOOKED
6) Tuesday 3 September 2019, 6.15pm - 7.45pm - Click here to book your place - FULLY BOOKED
7) Wednesday 11 September 2019, 4pm - 5pm - Click here to book your place
8) Wednesday 11 September 2019, 5.15pm - 6.15pm - Click here to book your place

These workshops will be held in the ground floor meeting room at Royal Oak House, Royal Oak Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4GB.

Booking is essential, maximum of 2 participants per organisation.

Online resources and support for VCSE organisations
Voscur has a range of online resources to use as a starting point for your application. These include guides on evidencing need (proving the demand for your project), explaining your impact, financial controls, funding budgets, and meeting the baseline standards Bristol City Council requires. Baseline standards cover issues such as service user involvement, sustainability and safeguarding.

Support surgeries will be held in North and South Bristol, to meet the needs of priority wards. Voscur staff can answer your queries about filling in the application forms and meeting BCC’s aims. If you cannot attend a support surgery in person and would like one-to-one support, you are welcome to arrange a telephone consultation with a member of the development team. 

Questions about the Bristol Impact Fund

Voscur can answer questions related to starting or improving your application and describing the project you want to be funded. The project discussions phase and the support surgeries are designed to help with this.

Please contact Voscur by:

Telephone: 0117 909 9949
Email: info@voscur.org, with the subject line 'Bristol Impact Fund'. 

Bristol City Council can answer questions related to sending your application form, and to any documents or webpages created by BCC for the Bristol Impact Fund.

Please contact Bristol City Council by:

Email: investmentandgrants@bristol.gov.uk (this is also the email address that completed Expressions of Interest should be sent to).