Armed Forces Community Support Fund

Local community groups working with the Armed Forces can apply for new funding from Hart District Council to strengthen their support and outreach. 

Organisations can bid for up to £4,000 in total from the Armed Forces Community Support Fund for projects and activities that benefit serving members, their families, veterans and cadets in Hart. 

The new funding follows the Council’s recent silver award from the Ministry of Defence’s Armed Forces Covenant for its ongoing support for the Armed Forces community. This is in line with our corporate priorities.  

There is a total of £25,000 available.  

Please see our Armed Forces Fund Privacy Notice.

How to apply 

The scheme is open until 22 November 2024. 

Please send any questions and request an application form to: afc@hart.gov.uk  

Eligibility 

Organisations within the district boundary which may apply include (but not limited to): 

• organisations that support children and young people connected to Armed Forces personnel  
• voluntary organisations which support veterans  
• cadet youth programmes  
• organisations that look after the welfare of Armed Forces families  

Funding is aimed at local organisations and is not intended for nationally-funded organisations. 

Applications will not be accepted from: 

• for-profit companies that benefit the directors or shareholders of the company 
• groups that have no formal constitution 
• groups promoting a particular religious or political belief or activity, unless they are a faith-based organisation whose project benefits the wider community and the focus is not religious content 
• individuals 

Approved applications need to be able to demonstrate what the money has been used for by providing clear figures on how it was spent.  

We anticipate the funding being used for such things as: 

• training and skills workshops  
• health and wellbeing initiatives  
• raising awareness and attendance at support groups  
• self-help skills projects  
• money management / budgeting courses  
• community integration after leaving the armed forces  

This is not an exhaustive list. 

Scoring criteria 

Need for the project: Will it provide or improve something for the target group? Does the project take place in a deprived area? How well has the need been identified and explained? 

Value For Money: Are the costings supplied realistic for the work being carried out? Are the desired outcomes proportional to the amount being requested? 

Benefit to the community: Will the project have a positive impact on the standard of living of the target group? Will the project have a positive impact on the health and/or wellbeing of the target group? Will the project impact harder to reach residents or new users? 

Clear project outcomes: Are the desired outcomes clearly defined? Does the application explain what success looks like? What improvements are expected to be seen at the end of the project? 

Sustainability: Is this project a 'one-off' or is it able to provide ongoing support throughout the year and subsequent periods of need? Will any equipment purchased benefit the community in the future? 

Scores from 0 to 4 will be awarded against each criteria: 

Successful applications 

Feedback to both successful and unsuccessful bidders will be provided. A grant funding agreement will be issued to successful organisations at this time. Hart will be reporting on successful projects via various media channels, including social media, and photos may be used. 

In exceptional or uncontrollable circumstances, Hart District Council may withdraw grants or postpone the grant scheme. This will only happen in circumstances where an agreement has not yet been signed for instance. Winners will be required to sign a privacy notice. 

Grants committee 

The grants committee will meet to score all applications against the criteria outlined above. The panel includes:  

• Community Partnerships and Projects Manager  
• Hart District Council Armed Forces Officer  
• A Hart District Council Armed Forces Champion