The Vibrant Places and Communities Fund can support projects which improve local pride in place, breathe life into towns, high streets, and local neighbourhoods and address challenges experienced by communities to make a difference for local people.
Download the Vibrant Places and communities fund fact sheet here
Examples of projects include:
Creation / improvement of green spaces, including urban greening, parks, nature reserves, visitor centres, and waterways
Projects which help to tackle social barriers and challenges, such as poverty, ill health, access to services, isolation and/or loneliness, reducing inequality and promoting common good;
Food equity projects e.g. Create or improve community gardens, growing projects, field to fork initiatives.
Local activities, events, festivals, celebrations
Arts projects including street art, pop up exhibitions, locally led music and theatre performances, public film screenings
Delivery of outreach/engagement/participatory programmes
Campaigns or events that promote the local area
Funding for community spaces, such as village halls, or community centres for wider community benefit
Projects which generate and circulate value and opportunity within the local economy
Projects pitching to the Vibrant Places and Communities Fund should aim deliver on one or more of these fund outcomes:
Develop well connected, empowered and resilient communities
Breathe life into our local high streets, towns, or neighbourhoods.
Improve the attractiveness, quality, experience, or perception of a place/community facility/event
Connect people to their local community through access to arts, culture and heritage based activities/events/workshops
Build the capacity for local groups tackling social barriers and supporting local needs to improve quality of life and wellbeing
Improve environmental outcomes and access to local green spaces
Important fund information
Eligible projects can expect a pledge of up to a maximum of £20,000 or 60% of the project target.
Projects can pitch to both Crowdfund Dudley Borough funds to receive a maximum pledge of up to £40,000.
Funding can be used for initiatives, activities, events and their delivery costs as well as for buildings/infrastructure repairs, refurbishment or equipment for wider community benefit.
Organisations should have ended their crowdfunding campaigns no later than 24 February 2025.
Dudley Council’s panel will consider making a pledge to a project once it has reached 10 backers through your Spacehive campaign.
Projects will need to evidence both fund eligibility and local support to be considered for a pledge from Dudley Council.
Projects are also able to upload funds raised offline and upload pre-campaign funds to evidence existing support. Find out more here.
Spacehive will help you develop your project idea so that you are set up for success and ready to crowdfund. Tell us about your idea here: www.spacehive.com/create and the Spacehive team will guide you on how to begin your campaign.
2. PITCH FOR COUNCIL FUNDS
Spacehive will match you to council funds. Start your pitch(es), where the council asks some additional questions about your project. Depending on the nature of your project, you may also be matched with other funds available in your area. Be sure to declare any pre-campaign funding at this stage so they don’t incur Spacehive fees. It is advantageous for you to complete these steps as early as possible to enable you to attract plenty of community backing ahead of the Council funding assessment.
3. SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT FOR VERIFICATION
Spacehive’s verification team will check your project information. Where appropriate, please be sure to gather and share the following as soon as possible (ideally in advance of the deadline) to ensure speedy verification:
Project costs with quotes and evidence
Planning, landowner, highway or any other necessary permissions or policies
Relevant council service permissions
Governance evidence including bank statement and relevant policies.
4. RUN YOUR CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
Once verified, start your crowdfunding campaign by getting lots of pledges from the community to show local support for your project ahead of assessment. This will help you to unlock bigger pledges. A typical crowdfunding campaign runs for 6-12 weeks.
Please note that the Council will not be the first organisation to pledge to your project and will want to see community support and backing, in the form of pledges from local people. A minimum of 10 backers must be secured for your project to be submitted for assessment. Spacehive and the Council are on hand to share lots of information on how to run a brilliant crowdfunding campaign.
5. PITCH ASSESSMENT AND PLEDGING
Dudley Council’s funding assessment weeks will take place throughout 2024-2025, the panel will be meeting on the below dates to review projects that have pitched to the fund(s).
Your project must reach a minimum of 10 backers to be submitted for assessment.
Assessment 1: w/c 12th August
Assessment 2: w/c 14th October
Assessment 3: w/c 2nd December
Assessment 4: w/c 3rd February
The Crowdfund Dudley Borough team will keep you informed on progress with your application, as such applicants do not need to progress chase as the team will be in touch as soon as a decision is made following the panel assessment dates.
Please note:
Dudley Council will issue you with a grant funding agreement for you to sign and return for release of your funds.
The council retains the right at its discretion to choose not to pledge against a project or to pledge a higher or lower sum at any time.
6. HIT YOUR TARGET AND DELIVER YOUR PROJECT
Your project supporters love to hear how you’re getting on. Use the tool on your project page to post regular updates and/or photographs. For tips and tricks to help you hit your funding target click here.
To learn more about crowdfunding on Spacehive, visit the Help Centre.
For any additional questions, please contact Spacehive on [email protected].
7. COMPLETION OF YOUR ONLINE IMPACT REPORT
As part of your pitch for funding, you agreed to complete an online impact report once your project is delivered. This is then shared with backers to your campaign and the Council. When you’re ready, you can find a step-by-step guide to impact reporting here.
Impact reporting is a mandatory requirement following the completion of your project as evidence that project outcomes have been met and promises have been delivered.
Should you have any questions about this process, Spacehive’s Project Success Team is happy to help – simply email: [email protected] for assistance
Fund Eligibility criteria - The organisations eligible to pitch to the fund and seeking a pledge must be one of the following:
Community Interest Company
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Company Limited by Guarantee
Social Enterprise
Registered charity and exempt charities
Public body that delivers or hosts community projects
Voluntary Group with a constitution, committee and its own bank account
Fund eligibility criteria - The Vibrant Places and Communities Fund is unable to support these groups:
Private companies unless they fall into the above criteria
Statutory service providers
Groups proposing projects with a political affiliation
Individuals (the fund is for organisations with legal status only)
Educational institutions and religious organisations whose venue or facility is not accessible to the wider community. The project must have a demonstrable benefit to the wider community and not just their own students or congregation, or be held in a public space.
IMPORTANT: If a community organisation wishes to Crowdfund more than one project at a time and they feel they can fundraise and deliver, both simultaneously, please note that the funding is capped to £20,000 from each fund per organisation not per project. The maximum pledge available from each fund is: £20,000 from Vibrant Places and Communities fund and £20,000 from NCIL fund = £40,000 total maximum pledge per organisation.
It is the project creator’s responsibility to ensure that all necessary permissions, policies or licences are in place at the verification stage of the campaign process.
If the applicant does not own the land or building that the project relates to, the owner’s informal permission must have been obtained when an application is submitted, and formal agreement must be confirmed.
For support with planning permissions advice, support or guidance please contact our Duty Planning Officers on [email protected]or 01384 814136 Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information, please click here
Please contact Spacehive's Project success team on [email protected] for any wrap-around support with launching your project
This will be the first time that Dudley Council has embarked upon administering the neighbourhood element of CIL Funding in this innovative way, which we hope will transform our approach to administering and enhancing area-based funding.
CIL is a charge which is levied by local authorities on new development in an area. The local element of this funding is known as Neighbourhood CIL.
The fund can support local projects that are compliant with Dudley Council corporate and planning policies for projects that improve a new development and benefit the wider community in the surrounding area.
NCIL should fund projects that support the development of an area and have a positive impact on local communities.
Neighbourhood CIL should contribute to the Dudley Borough 2030 vision, improving and enhancing communities and place. Projects will support the aspirations of the Dudley Borough Vision 2030 through:
Improving the vibrancy in town centres and high streets access
Continued promotion of Dudley as a tourist destination with improvements to the visitor experience
Supporting community capacity building and resilience
Improvements to local green spaces and new open public spaces.
Important fund information
Eligible projects can expect a pledge of up to £20,000 maximum or up to 50% of the crowdfunding campaign target.
Projects can pitch to both Crowdfund Dudley Borough funds to recieve a maximum pledge of up to £40,000.
We are seeking to help fund the delivery of neighbourhood projects that support development of an area and positively impact upon things that matter to local communities.
Organisations should have ended their crowdfunding campaigns no later than 24 February 2025 at the latest.
Dudley Council’s panel will consider making a pledge to a project once it has reached 25% of total project target through pledges offered to your Spacehive campaign.
Projects will need to evidence both fund eligibility and local support to be considered for a pledge from Dudley Council.
Projects are also able to upload funds raised offline and upload pre-campaign funds to evidence existing support. Find out more here.
Spacehive will help you develop your project idea so that you are set up for success and ready to crowdfund. Tell us about your idea here: www.spacehive.com/create and the Spacehive team will guide you on how to begin your campaign.
2. PITCH FOR COUNCIL FUNDS
Create your project page and Spacehive will match you to council funds. Start your pitch(es), where the council asks some additional questions about your project. Depending on the nature of your project, you may also be matched with other funds available in your area. Be sure to declare any pre-campaign funding at this stage so they don’t incur Spacehive fees. It is advantageous for you to complete these steps as early as possible to enable you to attract plenty of community backing ahead of the Council funding assessment.
3. SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT FOR VERIFICATION
Spacehive’s verification team will check your project information. Where appropriate, please be sure to gather and share the following as soon as possible (ideally in advance of the deadline) to ensure speedy verification:
Project costs with quotes and evidence
Planning, landowner, highway or any other necessary permissions or policies
Relevant council service permissions
Governance evidence including bank statement and relevant policies.
4. RUN YOUR CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
Once verified, start your crowdfunding campaign by getting lots of pledges from the community to show local support for your project ahead of assessment. This will help you to unlock bigger pledges. A typical crowdfunding campaign runs for 6-12 weeks.
Please note that the Council will not be the first organisation to pledge to your project and will want to see community support and backing, in the form of pledges from local people. A minimum of 10 backers must be secured for your project to be submitted for assessment. Spacehive and the Council are on hand to share lots of information on how to run a brilliant crowdfunding campaign.
5. PITCH ASSESSMENT AND PLEDGING
Dudley Council’s funding assessment weeks will take place throughout 2024-2025, the panel will be meeting on the below dates to review projects that have pitched to the fund(s).
Your project must reach a minimum of 25% of the total project target to be submitted for assessment.
Assessment 1: August 2024
Assessment 2: w/c 14th October 2024
Assessment 3: w/c 2nd December 2024
Assessment 4: w/c 3rd February 2024
The Crowdfund Dudley Borough team will keep you informed on progress with your application, as such applicants do not need to progress chase as the team will be in touch as soon as a decision is made following the panel assessment dates.
Please note:
Dudley Council will issue you with a grant funding agreement for you to sign and return for release of your funds.
Successful projects must spend funding within 2 years of the date of the grant funding agreement issued.
6. HIT YOUR TARGET AND DELIVER YOUR PROJECT
Your project supporters love to hear how you’re getting on. Use the tool on your project page to post regular updates and/or photographs. For tips and tricks to help you hit your funding target click here.
To learn more about crowdfunding on Spacehive, visit the Help Centre.
For any additional questions, please contact Spacehive on [email protected]
7. COMPLETION OF YOUR ONLINE IMPACT REPORT
As part of your pitch for funding, you agreed to complete an online impact report once your project is delivered. This is then shared with backers to your campaign and the Council. When you’re ready, you can find a step-by-step guide to impact reporting here.
Impact reporting is a mandatory requirement following the completion of your project as evidence that project outcomes have been met and promises have been delivered.
Should you have any questions about this process, Spacehive’s Project Success Team is happy to help – simply email: [email protected] for assistance.
Fund Eligibility criteria - The organisations eligible to pitch to the fund and seeking a pledge must be one of the following:
Community Interest Company
Charitable Incorporated Organisation
Company Limited by Guarantee
Social Enterprise
Registered charity and exempt charities
Public body which delivers or hosts community projects
Voluntary Group with a constitution, committee and its own bank account
Fund eligibility criteria - The Dudley Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy Fund (CIL) is unable to support these groups:
Private companies unless they fall into the above criteria
Statutory service providers
Groups proposing projects with a political affiliation
Individuals (the fund is for organisations with legal status only)
Educational institutions and religious organisations whose venue or facility is not accessible to the wider community. The project must have a demonstrable benefit to the wider community and not just their own students or congregation, or be held in a public space.
IMPORTANT: If a community organisation wishes to Crowdfund more than one project at a time and they feel they can fundraise and deliver, both simultaneously, please note that the funding is capped to £20,000 from each fund per organisation not per project. The maximum pledge available from each fund is: £20,000 from Vibrant Places and Communities fund and £20,000 from NCIL fund = £40,000 total maximum pledge per organisation.
It is the project creator’s responsibility to ensure that all necessary permissions, policies or licences are in place at the verification stage of the campaign process.
If the applicant does not own the land or building that the project relates to, the owner’s informal permission must have been obtained when an application is submitted, and formal agreement must be confirmed.
For support with planning permissions advice, support or guidance please contact our Duty Planning Officers on [email protected] or 01384 814136 Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm. For further information, please click here
Please contact Spacehive's Project success team on [email protected]for any wrap-around support with launching your project
