One of Dunstable Town Council’s main priorities is giving back to the local community. To help us achieve this, we can offer funding to organisations and individuals in Dunstable who share the same goal.

Guidelines:

  • Needs to benefit the residents of Dunstable
  • Can be a capital or revenue item
  • If not successful you can reapply with a 24 month period
  • Will be required to present to Community Services Committee how the funds are being spent within the period of receiving the grant
  • Supporting documents are required for grants to be issued
  • Service Level Agreements will remain for up to four years
  • SLAs are expected to be between £500 with a maximum award of £2000 unless exceptional circumstances
  • Funded activity must meet the Council’s Corporate Plan objectives, which can be found here
  • Awarded to organisations that will deliver an ongoing service to the people of Dunstable and can evidence how they achieve this
  • Support Town Council’s community and civic events programmed, as well as any corporate activities when asked to do so
  • Provide annual documentation (e.g.0 annual report and accounts), and where it is not provided by a set date each year, the SLA is terminated (with consideration to exceptional circumstances)

Click here to apply for a Service Level Agreement.

Guidelines for Seedcorn grants:

  • Needs to Benefit the residents of Dunstable
  • Needs to be spent this financial year
  • Can be a capital or revenue item
  • Cannot be over head costs
  • Maximum application amount of £500 but grants are expected to be between £50-£300 unless exceptional circumstances and would not fund existing activities or provisions
  • If not successful you can reapply, if successful you cannot reapply within a 24 month period
  • Case study will be needed to be provided within 12 month period of receiving the grant
  • Supporting documents are required for grants to be issued
  • Your organisation or community group needs to be no older than 24 months
  • You cannot be in receipt of any other funding from the Town Council in the last 12 months.

We will not fund:

  • Anything you have already bought or paid for, or an event, project or activity that has already happened
  • Projects or items that are for the sole benefit of individuals
  • Activities or projects of a political or exclusively religious nature

Click here to apply for a Seedcorn Grant.

Seedcorn Grants

In 2022/24, Dunstable Town Council was awarded the following Seedcorn grants. These are one-off grants to help individuals and new community groups grow:

Hillcroft Allotments – bench and plants
Dunstable Wombles – Litter picking equipment for children
It Takes A Village – Hall cost hire Website, Facebook page
Toastmasters International – series of free workshops in Dunstable (awarded to Vanessa Pochette) Website and LinkedIn page

If you are an individual with a community idea or belong to a new and emerging community group why not apply for a Seedcorn Grant. The process is simple and it could really help your idea grow to the next stage.

How the Seedcorn Grants have benefited the community

Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organisation that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping people develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. Area Director Vanessa Pochette lead a four week long public speaking programme. “I was eager to bring the programme to the local community and I’m proud of this cohort because the attendees were sharing common interests. It contributed to the feeling of camaraderie,” she said. She thanked Valerija Slavina from London Olympians Toastmasters Club for collaborating on bringing this Speechcraft to fruition.

One attendee shares their experience: “I liked that Vanessa and Valerija were very warm and approachable. They delivered in a way that was understandable, which made me feel very comfortable in presenting my speeches. The sessions weren’t too long, and I felt that the material given has helped me in putting together captivating speeches. I also appreciated the lunch provided it was lovely. Overall, I think this was a good time on Sunday, 4 weeks was just enough time, however I feel now that we are just getting used to public speaking it has stopped. I think it would be a good time to carry on and to find a new club to attend.”

Service Level Agreements

Dunstable Town Council are proud to be supporting the following organisations over the next four years through new Service Level Agreements:

SORTED Counselling Services, Citizens Advice, Dunstable Hospice at Home Volunteers, Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity, Dunstable Foodbank, Dunstable History Society, Dunstable Town Band and the Dunstable Town Guides.

If your organisation is interested in applying for a Service Level Agreement please follow the links on this page for guidance notes and an online application form.

Donating use of the Grove Theatre

Dunstable Town Council each year is able to donate two ‘free’ uses of Grove Theatre to the community and voluntary sector. If your organisation would like to receive a free use of the theatre between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 please email info@dunstable.gov.uk stating the following:

Name of organisation

Date of use (either specific or date range)

Type of performance or event

Number of people from Dunstable who belong to your organisation or who benefits from your organisations activities.

Please note there is no closing date, and decisions will be made at the relevant Community Services Committee.

We’re delighted to announce that Dunstable Musical Theatre Company have been successful in securing one free use of Grove Theatre this year for their production of Sunset Boulevard. Visit their website for more details https://dunstablemtc.org/