Value Notes

The Government has committed £27.8 million to support the CCF in 2013/14 with money generated by the Crown Estate's marine assets.

Funding awards of over £50,000 are available for projects lasting up to two years.

There is no set upper limit on grants; however, the Big Fund has suggested that the maximum amount awarded is unlikely to be greater than £2 million.

For 2013/14 the maximum available per application in Wales is £300,000. In Scotland £4.15 million is available in 2013/14 and will be split between the Highlands and Islands (£2.4 million) and the Rest of Scotland (£1.75 million). £21.7 million funding is available in England for 2013/14.

Extended Description

In July 2011, the Government announced details of the multi-million pound Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) which is intended to boost the regeneration of coastal communities. Announcing the CCF, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne said: "This new funding shows that the Government is committed to supporting coastal communities and ensuring that they benefit from the revenue that our coasts and the Crown Estate produce."

The Fund will be administered by good causes distributor the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), through its non-lottery funding arm, the Big Fund.

The definition of a coastal community, for the purposes of the Coastal Communities Fund, is any coastal settlement within a local authority whose boundaries include UK foreshore, including local authorities whose boundaries only include estuarine foreshore.

The programme is designed to support the economic development of coastal communities by promoting sustainable economic growth and jobs, so that people are better able to respond to the changing economic needs and opportunities of their area. It will support a wide range of projects, including those that support charities, the environment, education and health.

Every coastal part of the UK will be able to access funding through the CCF, with separate funding for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Highlands and Islands and the rest of Scotland.

Latest Information

2013 deadlines for submitting stage two applications:

• Wales: 31 July 2013.
• Scotland and Northern Ireland: September 2013.
• England: October 2013.

Key Criteria

Innovative bids will be welcomed from organisations, which support the economic development of the community in locations throughout the UK.

Some examples of organisations that would be eligible to apply for funding include:

• charities;
• voluntary and community sector organisations;
• social enterprises, including cooperatives and community ownership initiatives;
• local authorities;
• development agencies in the devolved administrations;
• local enterprise partnerships in England; and
• private sector companies.

The CCF is not exclusively targeting green sectors; however, the Government has confirmed that renewable energy and environmental safeguarding are the types of areas the fund is intended to support. It will be funded through the Crown Estate’s marine activities, which as well as gas and oil include offshore wind and wave and tidal energy projects.

The Fund is UK wide, although different levels of funding have been allocated to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on the basis of revenue generated. In Scotland there are two funds: one for the Highlands and Islands and one for the rest of Scotland.

Eligible Expenditure

For each administration in the UK, the funds available will be directly linked to the Crown Estate's marine activities from that particular area.

Some examples of activities that might be supported by this Fund would include:

• supporting skills and training initiatives to improve job prospects of local residents and encourage additional new businesses;
• maintaining and developing specialised tourist infrastructure, including support for new green tourism opportunities;
• managing and adapting to flood and coastal erosion risk, and managing pollution risks associated with the coast, where this supports local economic development;
• supporting social enterprises to bring new economic opportunities and jobs to coastal towns and make best use of local assets;
• offering apprenticeships to school leavers which incorporate key skills and a technical certificate;
• creating new workspaces to support and grow local economies;
• building community capacity to boost local approaches to promoting enterprise and economic regeneration in coastal areas; and
• supporting small-scale and sustainable transport improvements.

Both capital projects and revenue projects can be funded.

Match Funding Restrictions

The funding provider will allow (and encourage) people to match fund with other pots of money (eg Regional Growth Fund (RGF) (England), Cohesion Policy and Structural Funds (2007-2013), European Fisheries Fund (EFF) 2007 - 2013) but not insist upon match funding as a condition for applicants.

Restrictions

Although there are no specific exclusions cited within the programme guidelines, those wishing to apply are advised to liaise with the funding provider in the first instance to discuss eligibility.

Application Procedure

Assistance with submitting an application can be sought directly from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG Fund).

The Fund is intended to be a rolling fund with annual bidding rounds.