Grant applications are now open for the Discovery Community Fund

The second round of applications for grants from the Discovery Community Fund has begun.

We want adults with learning disabilities and autism to live fulfilling lives in their communities, so we created the Community Fund, which awards grants of  between £500-50,000 to groups which provide a range of activities.

So far the fund has supported nine projects including the Orchard Vale Trust, which runs digital inclusion sessions for people with learning disabilities in four libraries across Somerset, and OpenStorytellers in Frome, which supports people with learning disabilities to share short, meaningful stories about their lives and build new friendships.

The next window for applications lasts from 23 September 2019 to 31 October 2019, with the application process managed by the Somerset Community Foundation. This round of grant funding will focus on six priority areas:

• Strengthening the transition to young adulthood.
• Tackling health inequalities.
• Supporting people into employment.
• Removing barriers to community spaces.
• Combating hate crime.
• Putting people in the lead.

The seven groups that were awarded grants in the first round were:

• The Angel, run by the Langport Church Community Trust
• Calvert Trust Exmoor
• Dunster Festival, delivering classical music to the Seahorses Day Centre in Minehead
• Openstorytellers in Frome
• Orchard Vale Trust, county-wide
• People First Dorset in Crewkerne and Chard
• The Pod in Frome

To find out more about the criteria and how to apply, look here.