Rolling programme targeting health and wellbeing theme
Not-for-profit organisations can apply now for a chance for their project to receive funding from this special one-off scheme.
Tesco created the Bags of Help Centenary Grants scheme to celebrate 100 years of doing business. The Centenary Grants are two special voting rounds of Tesco’s local community grant scheme and offer a unique opportunity to benefit more people.
To be eligible to apply, projects must provide a significant benefit to communities across their voting region. These regions are very large geographic areas and cover multiple counties, unitary authorities or boroughs. There are 23 regions in England, 3 regions in Wales, 5 regions in Scotland and 1 region for Northern Ireland. Community charity Groundwork is administering the scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; greenspace scotland support projects in Scotland.
There will be two rounds of voting. This is a rolling grant so groups that apply for the first round will automatically be considered for the second:
- The July/August 2019 voting period is for projects with a health and wellbeing theme. Priority will be given to projects focussing on cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
- The November/December voting round will be open to all community groups supporting projects across their regions.
- Following the vote, the project that receives the most votes in the voting region will receive a grant of up to £25,000, second place receiving up to £15,000 and third place up to £10,000. (Northern Ireland has a different level of funding.)
- The types of projects funded will be very broad and will cover the direct costs needed to deliver the project.
This could range from:
- Improvements to a building of regional or national significance that benefits the whole community such as a museum, hospice, specialist hospital ward, art gallery, heritage centre, wildlife centre or an ancient monument.
- Improvements to an outdoor space of regional or national significance such as walking/cycling routes, gardens, nature reserves, wildlife areas, waterways or woodlands.
- Delivering activities or charitable services across a whole region such as health and wellbeing support activities, foodbanks, community clubs, homelessness support, sporting activities, recycling/upcycling programmes, regional school focused programmes and community festivals or events.
- Providing equipment that will benefit the whole region such as medical equipment, minibuses, mobile libraries and safety equipment.
Projects can be a stand-alone project or a discrete, self-contained part of a larger scheme or part of a phased project. They will need to be completed within 12 months of receiving the grant.
No deadlines have been set. This is a rolling grant so groups that apply for the first round will automatically be considered for the second round.
Interested parties should apply here
Application process for a Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grant
Step 1 – Check your voting region
Use the Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grant voting regions map to find out which region your project will be in. You’ll need this information for your application form.
Check your region on the map
Step 2 – Read the guidance notes
Please ensure that you carefully read the guidance notes before completing the eligibility checker. Centenary grants are not the same as standard Bags of Help grants and you will need to fully demonstrate how you will benefit people across the whole of the Centenary Region.
You can also view a sample application form here (They only accept online applications so please do not complete the sample form).
Guidance notes
Step 3 – Take the eligibility quiz
Use the link below to take the eligibility quiz. This short quiz will check that your project meets the basic requirements to be eligible for a Tesco Bags of Help Centenary Grant. If your project meets the criteria you will be given a link to the application form at the end of the quiz.
