The Co-op Community Dividend Fund

The Co-op Community Dividend Fund is administered by the Central England Co-operative which serves local communities by putting a percentage of its trading profit back into the community.

The funding is available to employees and members of Central England Co-operative who can apply as long as they:

• Have been a member of Central England Co-operative for at least six months.
• Are located in the trading area of a Central England Co-operative outlet.

Central England Co-operative trades across 16 counties from the Midlands to the East Coast – through more than 250 foodstores, 100-plus funeral homes, filling stations, post offices, travel branches, florists, opticians, masonry outlets, a crematorium and a coffin factory.

Funding (the average grant is £2,000) is for the following four broad types of projects:

• Contributions towards the fund-raising efforts of a school, college, community organisation or group, residential or day-care facility or hospital project.
• Contributions towards a voluntary, self-help or not-for profit organisation other than those listed above.
• Donations to a local charity or cause, or the local branch of a national charity that will benefit the local community, for example the provision of equipment, enhancement of the physical environment, training or education programme.
• Contributions to environmental and social projects that will enhance the local community or raise awareness of environmental issues amongst local residents.

Consideration will be given to funding a defined part of a larger project, such as the refurbishment of premises, if the project will be completed within the Society’s financial year and there is distinct clarity on what the Society would be funding.

Prioritisation will be given where applicants can demonstrate that they, or the project they are applying for actively participates with the Society (by trading with us or participating in our member activities, our meetings and / or our democratic process).

There are several funding rounds each year.

The next deadline for applications is 26 October 2018.

Full details can be found on the Central England Co-operative website.