Funding boost for community projects

Milton Keynes City Council is offering funding to projects that will give people better life chances or provide a boost to local businesses.

The city council is sharing money from the latest round of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is intended to help communities thrive and ‘level up’.

Previous funding from the scheme has been invested in a range of projects such as upgrades to local parks and community spaces; homes being made more energy efficient to lower people’s bills; setting up skills development programmes to help people into work; and support for female tech entrepreneurs.

This year, city council led projects will receive £634,000 in funding, which among other projects will go towards improvements in public spaces and play areas in areas where regeneration work is a focus.

It is also sharing an additional £350,000 with local organisations who can prove they have a project that will help communities in Bradville, Fullers Slade, Woughton, The Lakes Estate or Fishermead.

The city council is specifically seeking projects in these areas:

• Community engagement, public space improvements, and/or flood prevention projects.

• Providing advice and support to new local businesses.

• Helping residents better access jobs and training.

• Improving essential skills such as numeracy, literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and digital skills.

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Local organisations with ideas that can make a real difference to communities are encouraged to visit www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/UKSPF to apply by 9 May.