WREN Funding Policies
Click the link below to download and print a copy of this guidance.
WREN FUNDING POLICY FOR MAIN GRANT & SMALL GRANT SCHEME - 1
The Landfill Tax Act itself restricts the type of project WREN can fund. Of the six categories available WREN will only provide funding to projects falling under one of the following categories:
OBJECT D
Where it is for the protection of the environment, the provision, maintenance or improvement of a public park or other public amenity in the vicinity of a landfill site.
Examples: Village halls, children’s play equipment, village greens, museums, country parks, community gardens, woodland
improvements, cycle paths, towpaths and nature reserves.
OBJECT DA
Where the aim involves the delivery of biodiversity conservation for UK species and / or habitat.
Examples: reintroduction programs to a specific habitat, management planning for nature conservation where this is directly linked to a specific habitat at a specific project site.
OBJECT E
Where it is for the protection of the environment, the maintenance, repair or restoration of a building or other structure, which is a place of religious worship or of historic or architectural interest.
Examples: Buildings of all religious denominations, buildings or monuments of architectural interest, which are listed.
MINIMUM & MAXIMUM GRANT LEVELS
Main Grant Scheme
Minimum Grant level of £2,000 and Maximum Grant level of £50,000
Small Grant Scheme
Minimum Grant level of £2,000 and Maximum Grant level of £15,000
ELIGIBLE COSTS
WREN is only able to fund costs which are specific and wholly attributable to a project site. Work could include physical improvements to a site, ie, new windows, access improvements, refurbishment work or landscaping. Depending on the project type WREN may also fund architect or design costs up to a maximum of 5% of the WREN funding application.
Physical improvements covers a wide range of work, if you are unsure about your project please call for advice.
REVENUE FUNDING
WREN recognises that some projects require funding for supervisory aspects of projects, particularly when using volunteers to deliver site based work. WREN allows funding applications to include up to 100% of supervisory and related
costs incurred by such projects but only for the period of time spent delivering the site based work. Costs which may be included when applying for WREN funding include:
- Salary costs for supervising site based work, including Employers NIC and pension contributions, together with internal training costs.
- Up to 50% of external training costs
- Up to 50% of Health and Safety PPE
- Up to 100% of hired equipment costs
- Subsistence for volunteers whilst on site – limited to £5 per head per day (costs must be supported and will be subject to agreement prior to contract)
- Up to 20p per mile travel costs.
Whatever type of project you are applying to WREN for it is important that we are able to assess specific and measurable project outcomes to show how your project will make a difference. Day to day management and running costs, together with routine maintenance costs will not be funded.
WREN FUNDING POLICY FOR MAIN GRANT & SMALL GRANT SCHEME - 2
If you wish to include a request for revenue funding in your application please download Form F97 Revenue Funding plan.
WHAT WREN IS UNABLE TO FUND
Due to the Landfill Communities Fund regulations and certain implications these bring for environmental bodies it is WREN policy not to fund the following:
- Purchases of land
- Purchase or lease of vehicles
- Projects located on allotments
- Any work relating to Car Parks
- Any works to public highways, roads (either on or off project site, adopted or unadopted) pavements beside highways, roundabouts or any street furniture and lighting. This does not include recreational footpaths, bridlepaths or cycle ways.
- Projects located in Libraries
- Projects involving Membership-only organisations where the general public (i.e. non members) are unable to use their facilities
- Village or town centre enhancements such as walkways, street works or signage
- Administration Posts
- Projects in hospital grounds, hospices, day care centres, residential homes or sheltered accommodation
- Offices of charities, citizen advice bureaus, offices of statutory service providers and any other charity building where the primary purpose is other than the provision of community facilities
- Projects to provide or enhance overnight accommodation or residential areas of any amenity.
- War Memorials that do not have full public access or are not located within a public park,
- Restoration projects for Christian places of worship in England (WREN has a funding agreement with the regional Churches Trusts and National Churches Trust).
If your project involves one or more of the above please contact the relevant Project Administrator for your area for further advice.
SECOND & SUBSEQUENT APPLICATIONS
Where WREN has previously awarded funding to a project, WREN will not consider a subsequent application for the same site/project until the applicant can demonstrate that they have successfully completed and delivered the original WREN funded project.
Declined applications have one further opportunity to re-present their case for funding by means of a fresh and further application.
AMENDMENTS TO APPLICATIONS
WREN will not permit amendments requesting further funding for projects. Amendments may be considered where applicants wish to change the use of funds agreed provided the proposed work is within the spirit of the original grant e.g. play equipment for play equipment.
Any changes to the project details submitted to WREN must be notified in writing using a WREN application amendment form (F10).
