Kent community groups invited to apply for fourth round of Crowdfund Kent

Groups with a gem of an idea to transform a corner of their community are once again being invited to apply to Crowdfund Kent.

It will be the fourth round of the two-year pilot project, which has already supported more than 50 grassroots proposals since it was launched in March last year and helped bring them to life.

These include a pay-what you-can-afford community support café in Dover, purpose-built accessible donkey stables in Pembury for people living with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs and Thanet’s first baby bank, caring for vulnerable pregnant residents.

The impact of these and more can be seen in a new film about the initiative here.

The pioneering project, which is now being emulated by other local authorities across the country, is a partnership with expert Spacehive, which has the most successful crowdfunding platform in the UK.

The council has set aside £500,000 for Crowdfund Kent, in the region of £300,000 of which has already been pledged in individual grants (worth up to £15,000). This is added to more than £875,000 crowdfunded in regular terms by generous members of the community whose imagination has been captured by the ideas so far presented.

Interested in finding out more? The next workshops to discover the support available to get the ideas off the ground are running on 6 and 12 July.

To book a free place, log on to: https://www.spacehive.com/movement/crowdfund-kent/news#

Leader of Kent County Council Roger Gough said: “We’re so delighted at the far-reaching impact our Crowdfund Kent projects are already having across our county.

“They are serving to showcase the very best of our communities in Kent and demonstrating just how powerful the innovative work of community and voluntary organisations there can be. Plus safeguarding the supercharged community spirit we saw in spades during the pandemic, which can only benefit our residents.

“We’ve had a great response so far and are looking forward to seeing what else is out there just waiting for this boost to make it a reality and make a difference. Whether your idea is currently in your head, you have your thoughts down on paper or have a plan ready to go, we want to hear from you.”

Misha Dhanak, CEO of Spacehive, said: “The broad range of projects coming forward in Kent has been really inspiring and the response of the community has been equally impressive - with thousands of residents pledging alongside the county council, district councils, local businesses and organisations. Spacehive is proud to work in partnership on this programme, and we look forward to seeing the next raft of amazing ideas that will continue to help transform communities in Kent.”