3 July 2012

Funding of £20,000 has been made available for community and voluntary groups in Merseyside

The Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) Community Fund (which is also supported by Veolia Environmental Services) is available from Monday 2 July and will accept applications from schools and groups in the community and voluntary sector, for projects that will benefit the environment.

Up to £3000 is available for each project. The window for applications will close on 29 August.

The £20,000 is part of an overall £60,000 fund. A previous funding pot of £30,000 was available during May and June, and is now closed for applications. A further funding pot of £10,000 will be released later in the year to schools only.

Councillor Joe DeAsha, chairperson of MRWA, said: "There are a lot of groups, organisations and schools out there who are doing great work in recycling and waste prevention and I hope we can help as many of them as possible, even if it's just in a small way."

Examples of organisations who can apply include:

• third sector not-for-profit
• Community Interest Company (C.I.C)
• community work of a faith group
• company limited by guarantee
• constituted group
• co-operatives
• friendly society
• neighbourhood group
• provident society
• registered charity
• school project
• social enterprise
• voluntary group.

Carl Beer, chief executive of MRWA, said: "We're interested in projects that are new and have innovative approaches to sustainable waste management and that meet two or more of the key fund priorities."

Find priorities include:

• preventing the creation of waste
• reducing the amount of waste generated and sent to landfill
• increasing the reuse of materials
• increasing recycling
• reducing carbon emissions
• demonstrating economic and social benefits.

Application forms are available from www.merseysidewda.gov.uk/your-waste/community-fund or by calling MRWA on 0151 255 1444.

Darrel Moore