Karen Bradley MP Column 06.03.23

The recent announcement of the £17,110,892 from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund is fantastic news but this fund is just one of a number of sources of money.

I am on the board of the Staffordshire Moorlands UK Shared Prosperity Fund(UKSPF), which together with other funding sources, has a total of £5.5 million to be spent across the whole of the District and am pleased to announce that the website is now live and some funding opportunities are now open.

The first of these are grants of around £5,000 that are intended to finance local projects and events focusing on culture, arts and heritage within the Staffordshire Moorlands area.

Grants are available to voluntary and/or community organisations, Town and/or Parish Councils. The grants include support for local events over 2 years - 2023/24 and 2024/25 and could be used to set up a new event or to increase the viability or an existing event. The closing date for applications is 17th March 2023.

Applications are also invited for grant funding for small feasibility studies which result in the development of new or enhanced projects that address UKSPF priorities within the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council area.

The feasibility studies should address at least one of the following UKSPF interventions:

• Improvements to town centres and high streets including improved accessibility.

• Support for active travel enhancements in the local area.

• Investment in capacity building and infrastructure support for local civil society and community groups.

• Community measures to reduce the cost of living, including through measures to improve energy efficiency, and combat fuel poverty and climate change.

• Support for growing the local social economy, including community businesses, cooperatives and social enterprises.

The deadline for applications for the feasibility studies is 31 March 2023 and application forms for both grants can be found on the SMDC website.