Thurlton Community Shop Fund

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Would our community group be eligible to apply?

To apply to this fund, we do ask that applicant groups have some key governing structures and policies in place, including a management committee of at least three unconnected individuals– these requirements can all be found within our guidance and resources page here. If you are unsure about whether your group meets these requirements and would like to chat this through with us, please get in touch, we are always happy to advise.

2. Our group is very small and we’d only be looking to apply for a small amount of funding. Given the size of our group, what are your expectations in terms of our governing structure and policies?

As mentioned above, we ask that all applicant groups provide the governing documents outlined in our eligibility criteria with their application. However, when reviewing these documents we always try to be proportionate to the size of the group/organisation and the types of activities being delivered. We completely appreciate that these documents will be unique to each organisation, and strive to work with applicant groups to provide support where we can around this.

3. I think our group meets the eligibility requirements, but I’m not sure we’ll be able to find all the documents required before submitting our application. Can we submit these after the application deadline?

Yes, you can send us your application without these additional documents if they are not available by the closing date of the Fund, but please do let us know this before submitting your application.

4. I don’t think our group is eligible to apply, but we are working closely with another eligible organisation. Can they apply to the fund for our project?

Yes, if you are working collaboratively with another local VSCE organisation, faith organisation or the Parish Council, then they would be welcome to apply to the Fund in partnership with your informal group, so long as this is an established relationship. For example, if your group regularly hosts activities at the local village hall. If you’re unsure about whether this might apply to you, please give us a call and we can chat this through on a case-by-case basis.

5. If our group isn’t currently eligible to apply, where can we go for support, so that we are eligible to apply in the future?

If you would like some support with formalising as a community group, we would recommend getting in touch with Community Action Norfolk (CAN). If you are looking for some guidance around putting together a Safeguarding Policy for your group, we’d advise exploring the support available through Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board (NSAB), and Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCP).  You can also take a look at our Safeguarding Policy Guidance  here, which summarises the information that we expect organisations to include in their Safeguarding policies. As ever, please feel free to give us a call if you would like to discuss any of this further.