FAQs - Resilience Grant Funding

faqs

1. Who can apply?

Scheme 1

The Fund is open for existing constituted community groups and parish/town councils who wish to form a community emergency planning group. This fund is not available to individuals who should instead contact their parish or town council if they would like to get involved in community emergency planning.

Scheme 2

The Fund is open for community resilience groups, flood groups, parish/town councils etc. but not for individuals.

The Fund is available to groups with a community emergency plan or flood plan in place and made available through Devon Communities Together. Community Emergency Plans must specifically give consideration to potential flood risk.

If you do not yet have a plan in place you may still be eligible for a grant if you can show how the funding will support activity identified in a draft plan in development.

2. are there any geographical criteria?

The area of benefit will be Devon – including Plymouth and Torbay

3. How much can you apply for?

Scheme one:  Grants of up to £250

Scheme two:  Grants of up to £1,500.

Total for any one parish in a 12 month period between the two schemes - £1,500

4. What can be applied for?

Scheme 1

  • Costs associated with holding a meeting to form a community emergency planning group including venue hire, refreshments, and materials to promote the meeting.
  • Follow up promotional materials to engage the community.
  • Preparation of Community Emergency Plan.

Scheme 2

  • Rapid purchase of simple equipment (tools e.g. shovels, signs, road signs, emergency blankets, torches, high visibility jackets, radios for volunteer wardens, temporary portable flood barriers, sand bags, PVC sheeting, sand hoppers/stores, etc.) to support delivery of the Community Emergency Plan. The grant recipient is responsible for ensuring the items purchased are fit for the intended purposes.
  • Exceptionally, a contribution to small scale, practical works that will provide immediate benefit to the community in reducing risk of flooding.  For example, opportunities to clear out local ditches will be considered where either the landowner is unknown or where the community believe that it won’t/can’t be done by the riparian owner.
  • Up to £200 to communicate details of your completed plan in your community. If using the fund for this purpose please ensure you send us that proposed communication text with your application and that it references the DCRF key messages for communities. of:

- Emergencies like flooding, severe weather, fire and other disruptions can hurt communities and we can’t always prevent them happening.
- Resilient communities who are well prepared can respond quicker and recover faster.
- Be aware of the risks that may affect your community and how this makes you and your community vulnerable.
- Good preparation can result in increased organisation during an emergency; residents are able to act effectively, know who to contact for assistance and vulnerable people are helped.
- Resilient communities minimise any emergencies’ disruption to everyday life and their local economies.
- Avoiding or minimising damage as a result of better preparation and response leads to increased peace of mind for residents at risk and reduced physical and mental health impacts.
- These do not need to be included word for word, but we would like to see the messages conveyed within your communication.

Where applications are applying for money for small scale works such as ditch clearance, this will be a one-off pioneer clearance ‘without prejudice’ to reduce flood risk to the community …not to relieve anyone of their riparian responsibilities i.e. Each small scale work proposal will have to be considered on a case by case basis.

There must be some initial dialogue with the Flood and Coastal Risk Management Team to check whether there might be any scope for such work.  Please see next section for works that are not eligible. For small work enquiries, please contact the Flood and Coastal Risk Management mailbox: floodrisk@devon.gov.uk  or call 01392 383000 (ask for the Flood Risk)

5. What cannot be applied for?
  • Costs associated with meetings that are not specifically aiming to form (or reform) a community emergency planning group.
  • Studies or investigations to reduce risks – this scheme is to fund equipment and minor works that will provide immediate benefit to the community.
  • Activities that are being promoted through the Devon County Council community self-help / Road Warden scheme, such as clearance of drains and the Snow Warden Schemes.
  • Routine maintenance work or work that DCC is better placed to arrange, such as clearance of drains.  Please see links to the information on Highways drainage clearance, the Road Warden and Snow Warden scheme and the support that Highways can offer (i.e. H&S training) for such work : https://new.devon.gov.uk/devonhighways/
  • Any works on public sewerage systems managed and maintained by South West Water
  • Grants to clear private ditches that fall within riparian responsibilities and will only benefit that landowner rather than the wider community.
  • General maintenance and repairs of flood defences, unless there is a significant risk of not doing so and ownership responsibilities are unclear.
  • Individual property protection work, such as flood gates, flood boards and non-return valves etc. An alternative Grant Scheme for this type of work is available from DCC. Further information can be found at the following link: https://www.devon.gov.uk/floodriskmanagement/flood-resilience/property-flood-resilience-grant-scheme  Enquiries for such improvements should be made direct to floodrisk@devon.gov.uk
6. How can you apply?

Download the Application Form and guidance notes or email info@devoncommunities.org.uk or call 01392 248919

Completed forms should be returned to Devon Communities Together, as directed on the form.

There is no closing date for applications, however the fund is limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

7. Do I need a Health and Safety risk Assessment

It is advised that the community carries out a Health and Safety risk assessment before deploying any resilience measures. If you need more information please contact Devon Communities Together: info@devoncommunities.org.uk / 01392 248919