What is our Community Chest Fund?

We invest £40,000 annually into our Community Chest Fund to benefit local communities, tenants and residents.
This is based on our Vision “Listening to our residents, together we create quality homes and vibrant communities.”
Grants are issued to the maximum value of £750 per application for projects and events in the local community, or to fund sports teams and youth groups etc.
The applications are considered by a panel of tenants (our Area Panels) and decisions are made in line with our vision and values and our objectives to help develop safer, greener, cleaner and united communities. For more information about our values, please click here

Your project should fall under at least one of the following categories:

• Safer - Helping to make your neighbourhood safer i.e. school walking groups
• Healthy - Keeping members of our communities happy and healthy, whatever their age
• Greener - Reducing the impact on the climate, nature and the wider environment and helping make the area more attractive - planting of shrubs/plants
• Cleaner - Helping to tidy up your local area - clean up days, litter picks or educational workshops
• United - Projects that bring a community together, reducing loneliness and isolation i.e. setting up groups or group activities
• Connected – Improving physical and digital connectivity

We will not fund:

• Activities promoting a particular religious or political belief.
• Any project that is the responsibility of a statutory body such as Shropshire Council, Parish or Town Councils.
• Any projects that do not have a strong and relevant connection to STAR Housing communities or its customers.
• Any profit making projects.
• Any projects that are already complete.

Who can apply?

Anyone from a community group, or an individual who lives within the Shropshire Council boundary.

Click here to download a printable application form

Click here to apply online

How will I know if I have been successful in obtaining a Community Chest fund?

Once we receive your application, we will send you an acknowledgement letting you know when your application will be considered by the Area Panel.

We will then contact you again to let you know whether or not your application has been successful.

What happens if the application is successful?

We will send you the money via a BACS payment or upon submission of an invoice.

You will then need to complete an end of grant report no later than twelve months after the money has been awarded.

Guidance Notes on Applying for Community Chest Funding

Example of eligible projects

These could include: Educational workshops, setting up a residents group, training, youth or group activities. Your project should fall under at least one of the categories outlined above:

• Safer - Helping to make your neighbourhood safer i.e. school walking groups
• Healthy - Keeping members of our communities happy and healthy, whatever their age Greener - Reducing the impact on the climate, nature and the wider environment and helping make the area more attractive - Planting of shrubs/plants
• Cleaner - Helping to tidy up your local area - clean up days, litter picks or educational workshops
• United - Projects that bring a community together, reducing loneliness and isolation i.e. setting up groups or group activities
• Connected – Improving physical and digital connectivity

We will not fund

• Activities promoting a particular religious or political belief
• Any project that is the responsibility of a statutory body such as Shropshire Council, Parish or Town Councils
• Any projects that do not have a strong and relevant connection to STAR Housing communities or its customers
• Any profit making projects
• Any projects that are already complete

 
Notes to assist in completing the form

1. Please give as much detail of what the project is about and the reasons for the project. Continue on a separate sheet if necessary. This will prevent any delay to a decision being made.
2. When submitting your application please provide as much evidence as possible, such as photos, quotes or surveys to show us why this project is needed
3. Please be aware that we will not be able to release your funds until all other funding has been confirmed. You will need to identify all other funding in Part 4.

Terms & Conditions 

If you are successful with your application, you will be required to:

• Provide receipts for all purchases or work
• Email us a photograph of the project or we can arrange for a photographer to visit
• Invite a STAR Housing representative to any opening event or group activity
• Acknowledge STAR Housing funding in any press release or promotion (to raise awareness of the community chest fund so we can support more communities and projects)
• Install a plaque (provided by us) if applicable, for example on a bench
• Incorporate our logo onto merchandise, for example sportswear
• Include our logo on any leaflets or posters advertising events or activities

Funds must be spent within twelve months of release.