Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund now open
In the Autumn 2018 Budget the government announced that it would be supporting several initiatives to mark the centenary of the Armistice. Included in the package was grant funding to support improvement projects for village halls, partly in recognition of an initiative that ACRE had been working hard on for many years. ACRE had been lobbying the government to remove the 20% VAT payable by charities running village and community halls on building works to bring it in line with other sectors - parish and town councils, for example, can reclaim VAT on building works.
The new grant funding for village hall improvements will be managed by ACRE on behalf of Defra with support from the ACRE Network, of which GRCC is a member.
The grant aims to help fund the updating and refurbishment of village halls so that they are fit for purpose and can then provide activities which seek to achieve one or more of the following outcomes for their communities:
- improved health and wellbeing / reduction in loneliness
- a positive impact on the environment
- supporting the local rural economy
Full details about the scheme, including eligibility and how to apply, are available on the ACRE website. Please note, the scheme will fund up to 20% of eligible costs (minimum £10k, maximum £75k, so overall scheme costs would be between £50k and £375k). Parish and Town Councils are NOT eligible unless they are the sole trustee of a charity which is responsible for managing a village or community hall. Halls also have to be based within a community of 10,000 or fewer.
If you have any queries about the scheme and the application process, contact Barbara here at GRCC on 01452 528491 or email bpond@grcc.org.uk.
If you would like to talk to Barbara in person about the Fund, she is available on Monday, 20 May between 10am and 12pm or 2pm to 4pm. Contact Barbara to book a slot.