UK Community Renewal Fund

The Government announced £220 million investment in the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) in its budget on 3 March 2021.

The fund supported people and communities most in need across the UK, creating opportunities to trial new approaches and innovative ideas at the local level.

Whilst Bridgend County Borough was not designated within the top 100 priority places, bids were still invited of up to £3m for the area. The UKCRF was be managed by ‘lead authorities’, Bridgend County Borough Council was the lead authority for Bridgend.

Project proposals were encouraged from both urban and rural areas and had to align with four identified themes and with local priorities:

  • investment in skills
  • investment in local business
  • investment in communities and place
  • supporting people into employment

The Government’s prospectus set out further details on the objectives of the fund, the types of projects it intended to support and how it operated – UK Community Renewal Fund – Prospectus

Bridgend County Borough Council invited applications from organisations that supported the above themes and were in line with local priorities as set out in the Bridgend Public Services Board Well-being Plan and Corporate Plan.

Key Dates

  • 24 May: Deadline for local submissions to be submitted
  • 18 June: Deadline for lead authority to submit application to Government
  • End July: Successful projects confirmed for delivery
  • 31 March 2022: Project delivery end date

Application Process

The council sought bids from organisations wishing to deliver activity as part of the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Applicants were asked to read the UK Community Renewal Fund – Prospectus and the UK Community Fund Technical Note for Project Applicants and Deliverers before starting work on a bid.

The Prospectus provided detailed information on the objectives of the fund, the types of projects it intended to support and how it operated, including the process and selection criteria used to assess bids.

Bids had to be submitted using the UK Community Renewal Fund Application Form. Bids submitted in any other format were not accepted.

Bids had to be submitted to Bridgend County Borough Council using this email address: 

The UK Community Renewal Fund was a competitive process and Bridgend County Borough Council and the UK Government did not enter into discussions with bidders, however, questions could be submitted to the email above.

FAQs

UKG are responsible for the Community Renewal Fund and will make all funding decisions. 

Each LA in Wales will be undertaking a local co-ordination role, inviting and then prioritising proposals from their area, before submitting to UKG.

Bridgend County Borough has not been designated within the top 100 priority places.

Project applicants can submit to more than one Lead Authority in response to local bidding processes if their project responds to requirements set out across more than one place.

UK government is inviting Lead Authorities to collaborate with other Lead Authorities or partners across the UK where relevant – for example to promote cross-border project opportunities that address needs in common or achieve efficient delivery scale. In these circumstances, Lead Authorities may choose to run a joint process and/or assess bids collaboratively.

Lead Authorities can follow their own processes and determine the most effective way to collaborate with other Lead Authorities where appropriate. Joint bids can be submitted and Lead Authorities should agree which of them will submit the bid to UK government.

The extent to which a project demonstrates innovation in service delivery will be assessed as part of the assessment of ‘strategic fit’. Achieving collaboration across more than one place is one way to demonstrate this.

UK Government will assess the predominant geographic focus of the project, based on the amount of spend in each place set out by Project Applicants on the application form. Projects with the majority of spend in priority places (51% or over) will be considered to be a priority project.

It is for each project to determine its own project timeframe and milestones within the funding period, remembering that all delivery and expenditure must be completed by 31 March 2022. 

We would signpost potential applicants to the technical note for project applicants and deliverers.

Please note: We are awaiting further detailed guidance from UK Government on monitoring, evaluation and assurance.

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