VOLUNTARY organisations are being invited to bid for money to help improve their communities.

Community groups can apply for a range of grant funding including Community Grants, New Homes Bonus (NHB) funding and Positive Activities Subsidy (PAS) grants.

Applications can be made until Wednesday, November 26, and final decisions on all three sources of funding will be made by councillors at Area Forum committee meetings during February and March 2015.

Community Grants are aimed at community groups, volunteer groups and town and parish councils that want to develop projects and provide activities that benefit South Gloucestershire residents.

They can include art and culture, children and play, community safety, developing communities, enhancing the natural and built environment, learning activities, promoting equality and tackling poverty, sports, and supporting vulnerable people. This funding is mainly available for smaller projects costing no more than £3,000 in total.

New Homes Bonus funding is a grant which the council receives annually from central government, which was designed as an incentive for local authorities to build and refurbish new homes.

Funded projects should be substantial, sustainable and provide a legacy for the areas in which they are located. Grants awarded from this fund are expected to be considerably higher than those awarded from other funds that we manage. Previous projects funded by NHB include the installation of outdoor fitness equipment and the refurbishment of village halls.

The purpose of Positive Activities Subsidy grant funding is to enable young people to voluntarily take part in, or initiate, planned and purposeful activities that clearly benefit their health, learning or social and personal development aims.

This funding is intended for organisations working with young people aged 13 to 19-years-old (up to 25 for young disabled people), who live, work or study in South Gloucestershire.

Applications should be for projects which are accessible, affordable, wanted and valued by young people.

PAS grants have funded projects such as the delivery of work sessions for disabled young people and the purchase of youth club sports equipment.

To apply visit www.southglos.gov.uk/grants. For more information call 01454 865865 or email grants@southglos.gov.uk.