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Community Festive Fund 2023

Christmas Banner 2023

Community Festive Fund

The Community Festive Fund was established to encourage organisations and groups to come together within their own communities during the Christmas and Hogmanay period to celebrate community wellbeing and togetherness.

Please note

  • All applicants must submit a financial breakdown of estimated expenditure as stated in the application form
  • No late applications will be eligible for funding.
  • Your application will be assessed to ensure it meets the grant criteria.
  • All applicants will receive written award notification detailing the amount of funding or reasons for not receiving funding.
  • Groups must keep all receipts and proof of expenditure and submit them within two weeks of the event. Receipts should be uploaded to the online form following the instructions given at the time an award is made. Please ensure that receipts submitted are legible.

Following a satisfactory submission of a group’s expenditure, payment will be made by BACS and could take up to 4 weeks. This should be taken into account when returning the claim form and receipts.

How to Apply

Step 1: Read the guidance to ensure that you meet the grant requirements. 

 

Step 2: If you have any questions, please contact the Events Team for clarification at cityevents@aberdeencity.gov.uk.

Applications have now closed.

 

No late applications will be eligible for funding. 

 

Guidance 

The fund can provide a small financial grant to community groups and organisations from Aberdeen, who are arranging a celebration for their local community or continuing to grow and develop an existing event which may already be held within Aberdeen City.

  • Events must be held between 20th November 2023 and 2 January 2024
  • Applicants must be a constituted group or organisation.
  • All events must take place within Aberdeen City.
  • Only one application per group will be considered.

The Community Festive Fund operates a 3 Strikes policy in order to allow funding to be spread across more community groups. In practice this means that groups that have applied and received funding for 3 consecutive years must wait a year before applying again.

Any group which has submitted applications for support from this fund in the past and then failed to comply with the criteria, including the submission of receipts after the event will have this taken into consideration when funding applications are reviewed.

The funding available for any group or organisation is up to a maximum of £350.

The fund has limited resources and grants will be allocated on a proportional basis to all eligible applications.

Groups should be aware that as in previous years, due to demand, applicants have received awards less than the amount applied for. When making an application groups should consider how any funding shortfall might be met to allow the event to go ahead.

Applications received to support a festive activity/event can include some or all of the following expenditure.

  • Entertainment (eg. Children’s entertainers, live performances, Christmas CD/DVD)
  • Venue costs
  • Transport
  • Staffing
  • Catering
  • Party decorations/theming
  • Light Switch On Events (not including outdoor lighting or batteries)
  • Small Santa gifts (selection boxes or other gifts up to a maximum of £3)

All events must take place within Aberdeen City Council boundaries.

Whilst Aberdeen City Council will not fund any of the following from the Community Festive Fund, it is accepted that organisations may consider doing this from their own resources.

  • Events out-with Aberdeen City Council boundary
  • Expenditure associated with a groups normal day to day running costs
  • Alcohol
  • Equipment and Electrical Items (eg Camping stoves, Ipads, stereos, play equipment)
  • Christmas Presents / Gift Cards
  • Christmas Trees
  • Tree lights or outdoor lighting
  • Batteries
  • Small gifts over the value of £3
  • Individuals, commercial enterprises, non-constituted groups

  • School Events

  • Grants must only be used for the purpose as set out in the application. Major changes should be reported for approval prior to expenditure.
  • Grants must be spent within the allocated time frame for events as detailed.
  • Grant recipients must keep appropriate financial records and receipts of expenditure.
  • Funding will only be issued upon receipt of a satisfactory claim form and receipts for expenditure.
  • Funding will only be issued to accounts in the name of groups, associations, organisations and representative bodies not individuals.
  • Any underspend of funding will not be issued to a grant recipient.
  • Under no circumstances will the council increase a grant after the allocation has been set
  • Successful applicants will be required to contribute information on activity outcomes for use in fund evaluation.
  • Successful applicants should acknowledge Aberdeen City Council’s support through the Community Festive Fund in the delivery of any event.
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