Let us help you with your Community Fund questions
- What exactly is the Co-op Community Fund?
- Who can apply for funding?
- When can I apply for a donation from the fund?
- How much money can I apply for?
- What type of projects do you support?
- Are there any projects you can't support?
- Where do I begin with my application?
- Can I preview the application form and questions before I begin?
- Can I save and come back later to my application?
- Can I apply more than once?
- If my application is successful, when can I expect to receive the funds?
- I have applied in an earlier round of the Community Fund and was not successful. Do I have to apply again?
- Can I only apply online?
What exactly is the Co-op Community Fund?
The Co-op Community Fund is a charitable funding scheme which allows local causes and organisations to apply for a financial grant for a community or environmental project.
The fund brings together the former Helping Hands fund and Eco fund, to make the application process more streamlined for local charities and community groups seeking funding.
Our fund works with local projects that support key initiatives in our islands including:
- Preserving the local environment
- Social inclusion & accessibility
- Equality & diversity
- Supporting the aging population
- Inspiring the next generation & education
- Supporting local & Fairtrade
- Health & wellbeing
Who can apply for funding?
The Community Fund is open to recognised local charities and community groups in the Channel Islands.
This includes schools, groups, clubs and associations. Applicants must be based in the Channel Islands, and funds must be used to support the community or environment on-island.
When can I apply for a donation from the fund?
The fund is open all year round for applications, with two releases of funds per year, in Spring and Autumn.
In 2024:
- Spring round of funding – cut off 30 April (applications received 16 October–30 April will be reviewed in May of each year).
- Autumn round of funding – cut off 30 September (applications received 1 May–30 September will be reviewed in October each year).
This is essentially the same as the previous process for the Helping Hands and Eco funds but allows you to submit your application at any time of year.
We will send out reminders on our website, social media and local media for each funding release, to ensure that groups are aware a round of funding is coming up and don’t miss out on the chance to get their applications in.
How much money can I apply for?
In general, the average donation is usually in the region of £500-£1,000, and usually no more than £2,000. What we can donate will depend on how many requests we have received and the requested amounts.
If you have a project that requires more funding than this, we still encourage you to apply. We try to support as many projects as possible and often provide partial support to projects. It helps if you can provide a detailed breakdown of costs for your project so that we can take this into account when making funding allocations.
What type of projects do you support?
We want to make a real difference to our local communities, so projects must benefit the local community or environment on-island. We welcome applications for projects that support specific projects within these key areas:
- Preserving the local environment
- Social inclusion & accessibility
- Equality & diversity
- Supporting the aging population
- Inspiring the next generation & education
- Supporting local & Fairtrade
- Health & wellbeing
We welcome applications to support the purchase of equipment, or the funding of resources. Please see below for information on the applications we cannot support.
Are there any projects you can't support?
We understand that there are many worthwhile charities and organisations needing our support. However, as much as we would like to contribute to as many projects as we can, it is impossible to support them all.
We therefore cannot support any applications for any of the following:
- Donations to a cause where beneficiaries are off-island
- Off-island travel (e.g. school trips, overseas challenge events)
- General running costs of an organisation
- Bursaries or salaries
- Political groups or issues
- Sponsorship of team sports kit or trophies
An application can also be unsuccessful if the information provided is vague or incomplete. Please include as much specific information as possible in your application.
Where do I begin with my application?
Preparation is key! We recommend taking time to plan your application, so that we get as much specific information as possible to help with funding decisions.
We encourage you to create a ‘wish list’ of what you need and how much each item costs for your project. It may be that we cannot fulfil the total amount requested, but we could help toward the purchase of items on your wish list.
Before you start your application, you will need to have the following information to hand:
- Information about your project – what it is and what you are specifically seeking funding for, as well as information about how it will benefit the local community
- How much money you are applying for
- Your contact details
- Payee name
- Details of a referee if the payee is an individual rather than a registered local charity or group
Can I preview the application form and questions before I begin?
We can provide an overview of the questions to read before you begin. Please bear in mind that these example questions are only intended as a guide. The live application questions may be subject to changes or amendments with each round of funding.
Can I save and come back later to my application?
It is possible with the online form to start the application and then complete at a later date.
Should you wish to do this, you will need to make sure that:
- You are returning to the partially completed form on the same browser and device (not in an incognito or private browsing mode). Your answers should remain safely kept in your browser's local storage.
- Complete the application within the maximum time limit of 15 days.
- Ensure the application is submitted before the current funding deadline for your application to be part of the earliest available funding review.
Please note, we cannot guarantee that the form will be as you last left it (your system's automatic updates and/or security settings may affect this), which is why we strongly recommend having the information for your application ready before you begin, and completing the application in one sitting.
Can I apply more than once?
You are welcome to apply again in future rounds of funding, or for different projects in one round of funding.
If my application is successful, when can I expect to receive the funds?
Applications are reviewed each twice per year, usually April and October. We aim to send out cheques to all successful applicants within six weeks of the application deadline for each pay-out i.e. by mid-May and mid-October.
I have applied in an earlier round of the Community Fund and was not successful. Do I have to apply again?
Yes, we do recommend taking the time to apply again. Each year we receive an overwhelming number of applications and each one is reviewed to ensure that smaller charities and causes aren’t overlooked.
In line with our privacy policy, we will not keep your details on file longer than necessary, which means we will not review previous applications in future funding rounds, so you will need to make a new application.
Feel free to contact our community and sustainability team at sustainability@channelislands.coop if you wish to discuss your application further.
Can I only apply online?
Our online form not only helps us to administer and review all our applications in a prompt and timely manner, but it also helps us to reduce our carbon footprint and avoid paper waste.
If for any reason you do need a paper copy of the application form, please contact customer.relations@channelislands.coop or write to:
Co-op Community Fund
The Channel Islands Co-operative Society Ltd
Co-operative House
57, Don Street
St Helier
Jersey
JE2 4NB
