Bidding now open for latest round of county council grants

The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is helping local communities to be more vibrant and sustainable by providing grants to local organisations which seek to make a difference in the local community and contribute towards making Nottinghamshire a great place to live, work and visit.

The funding can be provided for physical things like signs, equipment or buildings, but not running costs.

Applicants will need to demonstrate that their projects can deliver tangible, long term benefits to the community.

One organisation that has already benefited from the funding is Mansfield Lawn Tennis Club.

One of the county’s oldest sports clubs, it officially opened its new £140,000 clubhouse last October after netting £50,000 of LIS funding

The new development aims to help attract even more people from Mansfield and surrounding areas to take up the sport and benefit from improved club facilities.Sharon Cox-Smith, chairman of the club, said: “The new clubhouse will provide a warm, clean secure environment to all our members and visitors alike and by re-positioning the clubhouse into the centre of the site this allows a good view point down the whole of the site which is very pleasing to the eye.”Coun John Handley, vice-chairman of the communities and place committee at the council, added: "Since the scheme was launched in 2017-18, the LIS is making a real difference in our communities.

“In fact, 202 projects have benefited from more than £2 million worth of capital funding.

“The criteria for this latest round has been updated, as we want it to benefit as many community-focused projects across the county as possible.“We also want to encourage a focused -approach, which is why successful organisations will now be required to spend the funding within a 12-month timeframe.”

Groups can now apply for capital funding of up to £30,000 here.Closing date for this round of funding is February 28.