Hi ! We are the Youth Funding Panel and we manage the Youth Opportunity and Capital Funds

May 2009

We are now accepting applications for youth led projects and activities!

Got an idea for a project that will benefit young people in your area? Get some mates together and apply to the funds!  You can see the types of things we have funded before (‘projects funded’) in the links below.

The Youth Opportunity and Capital Funds aim to give a voice and influence to young people (13-19 years) by fully involving them in identifying, deciding and leading on a range of positive activities for themselves and their peers.

• The Opportunity Fund can be used for 'activities' and things to do.
• The Capital Fund can be used for 'things' e.g. facilities, buildings and equipment.

We meet every few weeks so young people can apply 'any time' for up to £15,000 from the Capital Fund and £4,500 from the Opportunity Fund.  Applications take approximately 4 weeks to assess.

There is new grant criteria & guidance on the application form (May 2009).  Please make sure you read this and call us for advice, if you need to, before applying! It is best to get your project ideas clear and your application right the first time- as it’s quicker for us to make our decisions.

Applications must

• Be completed by young people and be youth led (but may have the support of adults)
• Show full involvement of young people.
• Benefit 13-19 year olds (only a small number of the group can be outside this age range)

Other things that help an application succeed. Projects that…

• Are truly youth led (i.e. young people have identified projects and are fully involved on planning, running, organising, influencing and evaluating projects).
• Support disadvantaged young people or groups that normally find it difficult to get involved and access activities.
• Are new or additional activities.
• Are value for money.
• Benefit as many young people as possible and the wider commuinity.
• Show a clear need, are likely to succeed and be sustainable in short and long term.
• Meet the Government ‘Every Child Matters’ outcomes.
• Help develop skills, knowledge and confidence.
• Make a difference.

What sort of application will NOT be supported?

• Those that only benefit an individual.
• Core school provision and activities (i.e is part of the normal school provision or is in curriculum time).  Extended schools activites may be considered especially if they involve a wider community of young people.
• Overseas trips (unless educational, the group is largely disadvantaged and made up of different groups of young people (i.e. not school based).
• Activites/projects that have already taken place.
• From profit making organisations/businesses.

All succesfull applicants and young project leaders will need to collect project evidence (photos, quotes, posters etc) and complete a short End of Grant Report form to show how the money has been spent and what difference it has made.

Downloads and links

• More about the Youth Opportunity & Capital Funds
• Download the application form here (490KB).  New guidance (May 2009) notes included.
• Please download the poster here (238KB)
• If you would like to see what is required of you and your project for the 'End of Grant Report' please take a look at the link to the document here (1.01 MB)
• Report of YOF/YCF projects funded 2006-2008 here (95KB)
• Report of projects funded 2008-2009

Problems downloading? Click here to email us, saying which form/notes you need, and we will email it back to you.

If you have any questions about applying please contact us via
Delegated Grants Team: 01432 260753 delegatedgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk
or Amy Lunt (Youth Involvement worker) on 01432 383008. alunt@herefordshire.gov.uk

Want to find more out about getting involved with the Youth Funding Panel? Use this link here.

Thanks! - Herefordshire Youth Funding Panel

The aim of the funds is to give a voice and influence to young people (13-19 yrs), particularly disadvantaged young people.  The funds must involved young people in identifying and deciding on a range of positive activities for themselves and their peers.  Projects are supported that will give young people things to do and places to go, in line with the Every Child Matters five outcomes of; staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, economic well-being and making a positive contribution.