Severn Trent opens £10m Community Fund to applications

Severn Trent has now opened applications to its new Community Fund which will give away more than £10m to charities and community groups over the next five years.

The Fund will support projects that can demonstrate a clear link to one or more of three elements of community wellbeing:

• people: projects that help people to lead a healthier life and gain new skills;

• place: ideas that help create better places to live in and use; and

• environment: schemes that will help look after the natural environment, give people greater access to that environment or help look after water.

Severn Trent will also be encouraging projects that have a link to water in some way, such as river restoration, flood alleviation or sustainable drainage. It said applications would be welcomed all-year round and capital and revenue projects will be considered, as long as the project will be sustained beyond the investment.

The fund will be administered by an independent Community Fund Customer Panel, made up of Severn Trent customers. The panel will review applications on a quarterly basis and decide where the money goes. The panel will meet for the first time in March and from April 2020 the company will start giving out grants.