Community Seedling Fund - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

You can apply if you are a small, grassroots or early-stage community organisation, registered charity, CIO, CIC, or a community group with a written constitution or governing document. Your organisation must have an annual turnover of up to £20,000 and operate within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), with a clear benefit to North Kensington communities. 

You can apply for up to £2,000. However, we encourage you to apply only for what you need. You do not need to apply for the maximum amount.

We fund small projects such as events, workshops, activities, or pilot ideas that benefit local communities. These can be social, economic, or environmental in nature. 

Yes. You do not need to be a registered organisation, but you must have a basic governing document, such as a constitution, and be able to demonstrate that you are operating on a not-for-profit basis. 

Your organisation must operate within RBKC, but priority will be given to projects that clearly benefit communities in North Kensington. 

Events or activities must take place within one of the five North Kensington wards: Dalgarno, Colville, Notting Dale, St Helen’s, or Golborne. 

You should include the costs needed to deliver your project/event. This may include materials, venue hire, or equipment. You should also include any additional funding or in-kind support, where relevant. 

No. Match funding is not required, but you are encouraged to show any additional support you may have secured. 

Due to demand, we may offer less than the amount requested. You should consider how your project could still go ahead if partially funded. 

Applications will be checked against the eligibility criteria (can be found in the guidance section). Once the application passes eligibility, the applications will be assessed by a panel consisting of Westway Trust Staff, Trustees and Community Members. 

No. We aim to keep the process simple and accessible, particularly for smaller or newer organisations and eligible for our Community Seedling Fund (CSF). We may contact you if we need any additional information. 

You will be contacted once a decision has been made. We may get in touch during the process if we need clarification on your application. 

Payment details will be requested from successful applicants after the funding decision has been made. Funding will be released once all conditions of the grant have been met. 

We will ask you to complete a short survey about how the funding was used and what difference it made. There is no requirement to submit a detailed written report. 

Failure to complete the survey may affect your eligibility for future funding. 

If your project is cancelled, postponed, or changes significantly from what was outlined in your application, you may be required to return some or all of the funding. 

If your event is taking place on the Westway estate, you will need to apply for a licence before funding is released. You should allow at least six weeks for this process. 

You may be required to provide a risk assessment, a Temporary Event Notice (if necessary), public liability insurance, and an event plan or schedule. 

If your licence application is unsuccessful, you will need to provide evidence that you have permission to run your event at another location before funding is released. 

Yes. Where possible, we can support community groups through equipment loan, including tables, chairs, gazebos, bins, and audio equipment. Availability will depend on demand. 

You will need to provide a simple budget breakdown of your project, including costs and any other support you have secured. You should also include any relevant supporting information, such as permission to use a space if your activity is taking place in a public area.