The County Durham Community Foundation is seeking applications for its Banks Community Fund (LCF) to support community and voluntary organisations and environmental projects which are located close to a Banks Group development, and which provide benefit to the local community.

The Banks Group develops land for a variety of uses including surface coal mining, residential and commercial property, and renewable energy (on shore wind and solar). It is a family owned, County Durham- based business employing around 400 people across the north of England and Scotland. 

The Banks Group looks for opportunities to make a real positive difference to local people and their communities and to provide lasting benefits, whether during the lifetime of a project or during long-term aftercare.

Project Aims

Funding will be awarded to projects that aim to:

• bring land back into use
• reduce or prevent pollution
• provide information on sustainable waste management
• build, improve or maintain public parks or amenities
• build, improve or maintain community buildings or amenities
• improve quality of life in a local environment
• promote or conserve biological diversity through the provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat, or the maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat

Funding Information

• Grants from the Banks Community fund (LCF) will typically be up to £5,000 although the Banks Group reserves the right, in exceptional circumstances, to support projects to a higher level.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible to receive a grant from Banks Community Fund (Landfill)
  • must be open to the community (public) and allow access to your premises/project for a minimum of four evenings per week, two days per week or 104 days per year
  • be located in an area where the Banks Group is currently operating (you will need this information to complete your application).
• Typically, the Foundation award grants to:
  • constituted voluntary-led organisations with charitable aims,
  • registered charities
  • charitable incorporated organisations (CIO)
  • social enterprises
  • community interest companies (CIC)
  • companies limited by guarantee that have charitable aims
• The Foundation is unable to accept application from groups that:
  • have not returned monitoring forms to County Durham Community Foundation for previous grants awarded from any grant programme not just a Banks Group Fund
  • are subject to an investigation by the Charity Commission, the police or any other organisation in a legal capacity
  • have restricted membership other than that associated with the objects of the group itself i.e. necessary for the safety/wellbeing of disadvantaged users,
  • fail due diligence or do not comply with Charity Commission guidelines i.e. we would not make grants to organisations that had related bank signatories, several related trustees, income well in excess of the threshold for charitable registration etc.

For more information, visit The Foundation.