Before you make an application to Northolt’s Genie Community Grant, please take the time to read the information available in this FAQ, it’s designed to help you prepare a strong application and ensure your project idea aligns with our aims for a more vibrant, inclusive and connected Northolt.
‘Northolt ‘Genie’ is the fun name for the community grant fund because we want to make community wishes become reality. We hope this is the start of something brilliant.
We are seeking projects that particularly align with one of the following key priorities:
There is a total of £40,000 available, split into two pots:
*Any community group based in the local area can apply. This includes residents’ associations, youth groups, sports clubs, arts groups, places of worship and other not-for-profit organisations. Your group does not need to be a registered charity, it can be a group of neighbours coming together to do something for your neighbourhood. Assistance is available for groups without a constitution or bank account.
To apply for a grant between £100 to £1,000 please go to https://forms.office.com/e/u2FPB3PQTB
To apply for a grant of between £1001 and £10,000, please go to https://forms.office.com/e/36LwFtKJRU
If you require a hardcopy of the application form, please contact Tan Afzal by writing to dosomethinggood@ealing.gov.uk, by adding “Northolt Genie Community Grant ” in the title of the email, and providing your full name and postal address.
We want to encourage a wide of range of proposals, but funding cannot be provided for
projects which fall into the following categories:
There are some rules and restrictions which applicants must adhere to:
No, we welcome applications from individuals and groups
Individuals
We encourage individuals to apply and would recommend that you work with people in the community to evidence the need for your project. If you apply as an individual and are successful, you will receive the funding on providing references from two people from the community, which attest to your reliability and dedication to the proposed project
Suitable referees may include local teachers, faith leaders, pharmacists, community workers or other respected individuals who are familiar with your work and standing in the community. Referees must not be family members.
Constituted and Groups
If you apply as a constituted group and are awarded a fund you will be asked to provide a copy of your constitution and details of your bank account.
Unconstituted Groups
If you apply as an unconstituted group, any award will be made on the basis that your grant is held and managed on your behalf by an eligible constituted organisation (“a Grant Managing Organisation”). The Council will arrange this with you after decisions are made. No payments are made directly to unconstituted groups.
We encourage applications from schools, but the activity funded must benefit the wider
community, beyond the children, staff, parents, carers connected to the school.
For all successful applicants we require the project to start within three months of the grant being awarded and for it to be completed by the end of September 2025. In rare circumstances we may make exceptions.
If your project involves working with children, young adults and/or vulnerable adults, you will need to have some basic safeguarding measures in place.
Safeguarding measures are steps that help protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from harm when they take part in community projects.
For a community group, this usually means having a safeguarding policy in place, which is a simple document that explains how you will keep people safe. You should also make sure that anyone working directly with these groups has passed the necessary background checks (such as a Disclosure Barring Service check), and that there is a named person responsible for safeguarding who people can talk to if they have any concerns.
Training for volunteers and staff on how to spot and report concerns is also helpful. These steps make sure that everyone involved is protected and knows what to do if something doesn’t seem right.
If you are a constituted group you may already have a safeguarding policy in place, a named safeguarding lead person and DBS checked staff/volunteers, information you can provide on request if your application is successful.
If you intend to collect personal data on users of your service, this information will require a clear process on how you will handle, share, store and retain that data,
If you don’t have the above and need support with this, if your application is successful, we can help you put the right steps in place. But if you have any questions or need help to consider applying, please contact Ealing and Hounslow CVS for advice.
If your project involves using land or property that does not belong to you, you may need to get permission from the owner or Ealing Council before starting.
If you’re running activities where someone could get hurt or something could get damaged, you should have public liability insurance to protect your group. If your project involves making or selling food, you might need food hygiene certificates to show you can handle and prepare food safely.
It’s important to check what’s needed for your project and make sure you have everything in place before you begin.
If you need help with understanding what permissions and documents you may need, please contact Ealing and Hounslow Community Voluntry Service.
If you are awarded a grant, depending on whether you are a constituted group, an unconstituted group or an individual, we will require documents that help with due diligence and support the audit of our payment process, including:
The deadline for application is 11:59pm Thursday 18 December 2025
Your full application, which includes personal information such as your group’s name, contact details, and project info etc. will be shared with a small number of people from the community known as the Town Team, to help make funding decisions to Ealing Council. You can find out more about the Northolt Town Team here
Northolt Town Team will only use this information to sift your application to ensure it meets eligibility criteria and that it meets at least one of the town’s priorities, for your project to through to the next round, known as the Northolt Big Vote. At this event, local people will be invited to take part in a public vote to decide which projects should receive funding. During the sifting process the Town Team may contact you to request additional information. For more details on how the information you share with us will be stored, used, retained and restricted please read the Data Sharing Privacy Notice.
If your project makes it to the Northolt Big Vote, you will be asked to share your project with local people. This pitch will require you to share what you think is about your project with local people, so as to encourage them to vote for your project. Every attendee at Northolt’s Big Vote will be given three votes, enabling them to vote for their three favourite projects
Northolt Town Team will review your application and may get in touch for more information. Applicants will receive an email notification if their application progresses to the next stage. At that point, they will be invited to a public event where residents will vote for their preferred projects. You will be advised of whether your project has made it to the public vote, by 12th January 2026.
Yes, the Town Team will ask you for a short report or feedback at the end, including how the money was spent and what difference it made. In some instances we may wish to visit your project and will arrange a date and time with you. Take photos if possible to help with your report.
If you are successful, the grant agreement you sign will be clear about what you need to do.
If you need help with your application, please send an email to dosomethinggood@ealing.gov.uk marking your email as ‘Northolt Genie Community Grant’. Alternatively, if you want to speak to someone in person, there will be a list of locations, dates and times when the Town team will be available to answer questions, check for more information on the events and meetings page.