Civic Community Fund returns for 2025 after successful debut

A fund created to support local groups, organisations and individuals in Derby and Derbyshire will return for 2025 following a successful debut. 

The University of Derby is inviting applications from anyone based in the city or county who is seeking seed funding for projects that will bring impact to the local area and community and would like to work in partnership with the University to bring their ideas to life.   

The Civic Community Fund provided seed funding to five organisations in 2024. They were music and arts development group Baby People, Chesterfield-based inclusive arts project SocialFuse Festival, children’s mental wellbeing CIC Bridge The Gap, Hands on Skin - an initiative which looks at exploring identity and cultural heritage through drum rhythms - and a project that co-creates poetry around nature connectedness and the Whispers From The Woods poetry book.

As well as receiving a grant from the University of Derby, successful applicants were also invited to work closely with researchers and other experts at the University to profile and share their work within the wider civic community.

Baby J, founder of Baby People, says the grant has helped the organisation to provide more support to young people living in Derby and is encouraging others to complete an expression of interest form. 

He said:

“The funding we received from the University allowed us to undertake an important piece of work in bringing together the community at the Youth Centre in Cotton Lane in Derby.

“Receiving help from the Civic Community Fund has also enabled us to meet and collaborate with other organisations in the city and county who are making a difference, and I would encourage others to get involved in the next round of funding.” 

Ann Fomukong-Boden used the funding to host SocialFuse Festival; an inclusive event held in Chesterfield over the summer which showcased various social enterprises from across the county. 

She said:

“The contribution we received from the Civic Community Fund enabled us to host SocialFuse Festival earlier this year, and to ensure that the event was free for all attendees. 

“This meant that everyone in the community could join in, regardless of their financial situation. 

“It is important to us that SocialFuse Festival is accessible to all, and we are grateful to the University of Derby for the support it has given us.” 

The Civic Community Fund is designed to support the work of Derby's University Civic Agreement, which was launched in June 2022, by creating new partnerships locally and providing support to civic projects that will have a positive impact within the community. 

Although the Civic Community Fund is a relatively new initiative, the University has supported local community projects for decades, providing funding to inspiring groups across Derbyshire who make a real difference to people’s lives.  

Dr Rhiannon Jones, (Associate Professor of Civic Practice) and Head of Civic and Communities at the University of Derby, said:

“The University of Derby is proud to be a Civic organisation that is committed to playing its part in the city and county’s ongoing prosperity and wellbeing, supporting local communities and the people within them, working closely with our stakeholders and partners to deliver our Civic University Agreement. 

“The Civic Community Fund has been a hugely successful initiative, and we are looking forward to receiving applications for 2025. 

“The fund is a fantastic way of enabling us to provide bespoke support for local groups and individuals whose endeavours would benefit from the support the University can offer. We are looking for people who want to partner with us in the longer term, to work with our experts to develop their brilliant projects and make a real impact in the local area.”     

Applications for the Civic Community Fund should be made via the University's website. 

They should be done before January 31. Applicants will be notified of funding application outcomes by February 14, 2025. 

Successful applications will be able to demonstrate a close alignment with the University’s Civic Agreement and its goals. 

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