What are Community Infrastructure Levy Grants?
The Community Infrastructure Levy is a charge which can be levied by local authorities on new building developments in the area. In Sandwell 15% of these funds can be spent in the local community. Community Infrastructure Levy Grants of up to £5,000 are available to Community Groups to enhance their work. These guidance notes will tell you who can apply and how to apply.
CIL Grants can only be spent on capital costs such as sports equipment, furniture, some renovations or IT equipment. CIL funding cannot be spent on revenue costs, such as staff, rent or events. CIL funding cannot be spent on consumable items.
Groups wishing to apply for grants should ensure that their projects meet Sandwell Council’s 2030 Ambitions. Groups are encouraged to provide match funding. This may be by putting in cash from their own funds, or by looking for funding from other sources to complement CIL funding.
Is my group eligible to apply?
The following organisations are eligible to apply for CIL Grants
- Constituted community groups
- Registered charities
- Social Enterprises (i.e. CICs)
- Schools or Academies (where the project benefits the wider community)
- Faith groups/organisations
Your group will need to provide the following information for your proposal to be considered
- A copy of the current constitution for your community group or organisation
- A list of current management board members for your community group or organisation
- A copy of your organisation’s bank statements for the last three consecutive months – as payments can only be made directly to the organisation
- Current and valid quotes for the items included in your proposal
- Evidence of a local consultation being completed in support of your proposal
Are there any criteria that projects have to meet?
Your proposal will need to meet all of the following criteria
- It meets some of the Council’s 2030 Ambitions
- Your group has conducted a local consultation with the local community and can provide evidence
- It supports and, where possible, mitigates the impact of the development and benefits residents in the town
- The proposal should not have any future revenue implications for CIL
- The project will be completed within 12 months of approval
Is there anything that a CIL grant won’t fund?
Unfortunately, CIL Grants are unable to fund any of the following
- Events (such as firework displays, carnivals, Christmas lights etc)
- Projects that duplicate existing funding or services that should be undertaken by the council
- Improvements to Council Offices or other buildings used for the operation of the Council
- Labour costs associated with maintenance of grounds, verge mowing or hedge cutting etc
- Projects that will only benefit individuals or very small groups
- Projects that directly benefit, or can be perceived to benefit individual councillors
- Projects which relate mainly to religious purposes or Political activities such as lobbying, political activity or promotion
- Retrospective projects i.e. where the spend has already occurred
The above are examples, and this is not an exhaustive list of what grant funding will not fund.
Town Grants will not fund businesses and commercial organisations or directly fund external statutory organisations e.g. West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service etc to deliver projects, expenditure or activities.
How can my group apply for a CIL Grant?
Someone from your group will need to contact the Town Grants Team by e-mail town_grants@sandwell.gov.uk or visit the contact details page.
A member of the team will arrange to meet with members of your group for a Project Proposal Meeting to discuss the proposed project. We will go through the criteria with you as well as the group’s eligibility to apply for funds and the essential information the group will need to provide. Depending on your proposal, we may signpost and consult with the relevant departments or organisations. We will help you to complete the Project Proposal Form with you and ensure that we have all the relevant information for the next stage.
We will then consult with the CIL Steering Group, Town Chair/Deputy and Ward Members of the town to seek their feedback on your project and approval in principle. If your proposal is not approved in principle we will tell you the reasons why and consider any alterations which you could make.
We will meet with you again to complete the application form and continue to work with you through the application process.
Once the application is completed and all relevant information and documents have been provided, the proposal will be publicly displayed on our public consultation webpage on the Sandwell Council website for 14 days to gather feedback and comments from the local community and residents.
The final decision on project approval will be made during our appraisal process.