Design Council CABE has announced two new grant programmes to be awarded to locally-based organisations in England to work with their communities and raise their aspiration for the design quality of their area. The grants will support communities develop their own vision for how their built environment should evolve and engage in local design review to uphold the design quality of forthcoming development projects.

The first grant scheme: ‘Neighbourhood Projects Small Grants Programme’ will award small grants to not-for-profit organisations to provide advice and support to community groups to help them achieve design quality in neighbourhood projects. This is a new way of working for Design Council CABE and will get design expertise to the communities that need it. The awards will also help disseminate learning on the best ways to deliver local design support.

The second grant scheme: ‘Design Review Small Grants Programme’, will be awarded to existing local design review panels to engage the community in improving the design quality of proposed development in their area. Local panels will be encouraged to explore new and innovative ways to include the community in the design review process.It is possible for applicants to apply for a grant from each of the two schemes to deliver a comprehensive package of design support, working with the same community over an extended period. Collectively, the two grant schemes will offer up to 19 grants totalling a maximum of £130,000.

MADE can provide support to local panels interested in applying for either grant programme. For details of how MADE can help please email bianca@made.org.uk

Commenting on the grants schemes, David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council said: “I’m delighted that we can continue to support the promotion of good design at a local level and help communities really take an active role in shaping their built environment. It’s localism in action, and I’m looking forward to seeing innovative proposals from applicants all over the country.”Applications for both grants will open on Friday, 1st July 2011, and can be made via the Design Council’s website www.designcouncil.org.uk/grants, where further guidance and explanations of the application process can be found.

The deadline for applications is Monday, 1st August 2011.

A specially-convened selection panel with expertise in design promotion, architecture and the built environment will assess the applications. Successful applicants will be informed in late August with a view to successful projects starting as early as September 2011.

For enquiries relating to the Neighbourhood Projects Small Grants Programme, please contact: Kathy MacEwen on 0207 420 5204 / kathy.macewen@designcouncil.org.uk

For enquiries relating to the Design Review Small Grants Programme, please contact: Menaka Sahai on 0207 420 5210 / menaka.sahai@designcouncil.org.uk