Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund

This fund was established in 2017 to support locally-based community groups, businesses, education establishments and organisations across Hampshire to deliver projects, products and services which prevent household waste.

The Council is particularly looking to fund innovative projects which:

  • Support Hampshire’s community, the local economy and the environment

    and/or

  • Types of projects which are new to their local area but which already exist in other areas of Hampshire (for example a Reusable Nappy Library or Community Fridge ), and so will help to provide coverage of waste prevention projects and services across the whole County.

Potential applicants must contact the Waste Prevention Team at [email protected] to arrange a discussion on their proposed project before they apply.

What is waste prevention?

'Waste prevention' is defined as measures taken before a substance, material or product has become waste.

For the purposes of this fund, ‘waste prevention’ is taken to encompass any actions which prevent or reduce the amount of household waste entering the local authority waste management system, and therefore includes: reuse, repair and home composting. In addition to the environmental benefits of reducing household waste, waste prevention projects can also result in financial savings for residents, community benefits (e.g. volunteering opportunities) and health benefits (e.g. household management, healthy eating).

‘Household waste’ covers items that you would put in your waste bin at home or take to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre. It does not include waste from commercial or business sources.

When to apply

Applications for funding will open on 17 October 2022 and will close at 5pm on 10 January 2023. Funding for successful applications will be awarded from March 2023.

Grant criteria and eligibility

The maximum amount awarded to each project will be £5,000. There is no minimum amount. Applications will be ranked and scored based on their:

  • Demonstrated impact in preventing household waste
  • Innovation to services and/ or introducing new projects to local areas already proven to reduce household waste elsewhere
  • Ability to be sustained post funding and/or have a legacy
  • Social and community benefits.

Experience in successfully delivering previous projects will also be assessed.

Please note that funding will be awarded to the highest scoring applications subject to grant funds being available.

Who can apply
  • Community, neighbourhood or voluntary groups
  • Registered charities
  • Schools, colleges and universities
  • Not-for-profit organisations (including social enterprises)
  • Businesses with fewer than 250 employees, i.e. Small and medium sized enterprises
  • Faith groups delivering community work
  • Parish Councils
Who can't apply
  • Businesses with over 250 employees
  • Organisations that aim to deliver products and/or services outside of Hampshire County Council’s administrative area (this includes the administrative areas of Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils)
  • Individuals
What is funded

Projects must demonstrate:

  • That they will have an impact on the population within the Hampshire County Council administrative area (this does not include the Portsmouth or Southampton City Council areas)
  • That they do not duplicate activity in the local area (e.g. District/Town/Parish) that is already taking place
  • Measurable reductions in the amount of household waste, e.g. through furniture reused, or food diverted from waste.
  • Social benefits (jobs/volunteer posts created, number of residents trained etc)
  • Who the project is likely to directly engage.
  • How the project is innovative or new (to the local area).
  • The methods used to effect behaviour change.
  • Sustainability/and or a degree of ‘legacy’ in terms of waste prevention outcomes. The fund will only support new, or expansion of existing products and services. It will not pay for existing activities.

The fund is also looking to support the set-up of new or innovative projects that tackle the production of household waste; example projects could include (but are not limited to):

  • Reusable nappy libraries, particularly in the Fareham, Gosport and Havant areas
  • Initiatives to encourage reusable or refillable items
  • Community Fridges and Freezers or food sharing schemes predominately using food from households, particularly in the Test Valley, Eastleigh, Gosport, Hart and Winchester areas
  • Educational activities on home management, such as cooking, food preparation and storage, sewing
  • Community Composting schemes, particularly in the Basingstoke, Rushmoor, Gosport and Andover areas
  • Community engagement activities to increase awareness, knowledge and understanding of preventing waste, for example events, books or workshops
  • Rental and sharing schemes, for example ‘Libraries of Things’
  • Swapping events
  • Refurbishment of electricals and electronic equipment donated from households to support those in need

Guidance and advice is available from the Waste Prevention Team, please contact them at [email protected] to find out more.

Projects funded by the grant fund so far have included:

  • Repair cafes
  • Cookery, upcycling and composting classes in schools
  • Second-hand school uniform service
  • Reusable Nappy Libraries
  • Community Fridge
  • A Waste Prevention book for children
  • Swap events
  • A click and collect service for refillables
What isn’t funded
  • Projects which predominantly affect residents outside of the Hampshire County Council administrative area (including Portsmouth and Southampton City areas)
  • Projects seeking funding for recycling and waste disposal projects
  • Projects requesting over £5,000
  • Bids from businesses or enterprises with over 250 employees
  • Day to day running or existing staffing costs for projects
  • Activities that start or happen before the funding is formally confirmed
  • Activities that focus on reducing waste from non-household sources, i.e. business, trade or school
  • Projects that mainly financially benefit an individual
  • Activities with political affiliation and aims
  • The VAT element of a project which can be recovered
  • Research and development activities
Period and amount
  • Funding must be spent within 1 year of award of contract
  • We will aim to commence payments from March 2023
  • Payments will be scheduled in line with key project milestones outlined by the applicant in the Additional Project Details document
  • A payment schedule will be agreed with successful applicants as part of the formal grant offer
  • Monthly reporting will be required for 12 from the first grant payment
  • If the project is successful, it is expected that you will have a plan to continue the activity after the end of the funding period
Read application notes and apply