The Brent Cross Town Community Fund opens today (Thursday 5 September) for its sixth year, with a special focus on supporting projects that contribute to skills development, training, employment and education opportunities.

This year’s fund, which has been created by Related Argent in partnership with Barnet Council, stands at £50,000, with grants available from £3,000 to £10,000. Each year, the Fund has had a special focus, and this year, Brent Cross Town wants to help local charities and organisations to provide and connect local people with employment, education, training and skills opportunities. The focus also support’s one of Brent Cross Town’s Flourishing Index commitments, which is to become a place where all can flourish; and this is achieved through inclusive opportunities that put the community at heart. Locals from all ages and backgrounds will have the chance to benefit from this year’s Fund and to improve their education and career paths.

Local organisations and initiatives from across the borough, including applicants who received funding last year, will be able to apply for funding. Applications to the fund close on Thursday 24 October. Apply here.

Groups who can apply for the grant are:

• Informal and formal community groups
• Local charities and local branches of national charities
• Schools and educational organisations
• Not-for-profit organisations
• Residents’ associations
• Social enterprises

Community voting

Last year, the local community had the opportunity to vote for ‘People’s Choice’ awards for the first time, where they could nominate a project to receive additional funding. This year, the community will play an even bigger role. Following a judging panel with local partners and community leaders to select a shortlist of projects, residents will be asked to vote for all the Fund recipients from the shortlist via an online poll. The details of how to participate will be shared as soon as a shortlist is announced.

Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Cricklewood Ward Member and judge on the community fund panel, said: “This year’s £50k community fund joins a host of other initiatives made possible by the Brent Cross Town development to deliver skills, employment and training to people living in the area. I encourage all local groups, schools and individuals delivering a programme or activity that could benefit from additional funding to apply.”

Morwenna Hall, Executive Director at Related Argent, added: “We are very proud of the impact the Brent Cross Town Community Fund is having and to see the many enterprising ways in which communities are supporting each other to thrive. Employment, education, and life-enriching skills are intrinsic to creating flourishing communities, which is at the heart of what we are looking to achieve at Brent Cross Town, and we are pleased to be able to bring the Fund back again for a sixth year. We look forward to receiving this year’s applications and are grateful for the opportunity to support our communities in this way.”

Applications to the fund will be made through ActionFunder. This platform enables community groups to apply for funding and also means that groups that may not be successful in this funding round have their application made available to other funders.

More about the Brent Cross Town Community Fund

The Brent Cross Town Community Fund started in 2019 and has since supported 52 small charities, community organisations and individuals working to make a positive impact in the local area and has awarded £180,000 to local projects. Now with a successful history of local funding, it is estimated that over 15,000 people in the local community have directly benefited from the fund’s investment. See examples of previous projects that have benefited from Community Fund here.

Find out more details here on how to apply for a grant.

Brent Cross Town is the new park town at the heart of the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, which is being delivered in partnership between Related Argent and Barnet Council.