Grant funding
Providers offering inclusive activities for children with a disability or additional need are encouraged to apply for grant funding to run these activities during school holidays. Activities must be open to all children with Special educational needs and disabilities who live in Somerset, and can last from a few hours to a full day.
Please see the full specification for applying below.
To apply for funding, please fill out the appropriate application form:
Providers must send copies of the following policies with their first application, and annually after that:
- Insurance Certificate – to cover the period of activity delivery
- Risk Assessment
- Equality and Diversity Policy
- Health and Safety Policy
- Safeguarding or Child Protection Policy
- DBS Check Confirmation
- Volunteer Policy (if applicable)
- Behaviour Management Policy
- Organisation’s Constitution Document
- Photography Consent Form
Application deadlines
Applications open around 11 weeks before each school holiday.
The dates for 2024 are:
October half term
- Date applications are invited: 12 August 2024
- Deadline for submission: 2 September 2024
Christmas holidays
- Date applications are invited: 7 October 2024
- Deadline for submission: 28 October 2024
If you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive invitations to apply for funding, please email ciateam@somerset.gov.uk.
Reviewing applications
A week after the deadline, the grant panel meets to review applications. We consider factors such as accessibility, location, cost, value for money and variety of activities.
The grant panel has representatives from:
- Community Inclusion and Activity Team
- Early Support Team
- Somerset Supporter Service
- Commissioning
- Engagement and Participation
- The Unstoppables
- Somerset Parent Carer Forum
They decide how best to allocate the funds to reach as many children with disabilities or additional needs across Somerset as possible, offering a variety of enjoyable and inclusive activities.
There is a limited budget available, so this does mean that some providers may not receive the full funding requested or may be turned down and advised to apply for funding from alternative sources. Find out more in the grant panel Terms of Reference below.
Following grant panel, providers will be told the outcome and the reasoning behind the decision. Those that are successful will be emailed a grant letter agreement to sign and return, as well as an activity report template to complete and return after the activity has been delivered. Activities will be advertised in a pdf and online activity calendar which is shared widely and can be accessed on the Local Offer website and Somerset’s Special educational needs and disabilities Local Offer Facebook page.
Finding funded activities
See the activities for families and young people page and use the Community Inclusion and Activity Team filter on the Local Offer SEND Events Calendar.