Better Futures Fund

Providing financial help and support for community projects around the Bristol Water supply area.

Apply here

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How does it work?

Bristol Water are part of the Pennon Group alongside South West Water, SES Water and Bournemouth Water.

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in supporting projects and charities in the places where we live and work, helping to build stronger communities.

To provide more support to our communities, the Pennon Group have launched the £5m Better Futures Fund. For Bristol Water customers the fund will provide £564,000 over five years, in addition to the £200m programme to help customers who are vulnerable or struggling financially across the Pennon family.

The fund includes £2.5m for community groups involved with physical activity, education, health and wellbeing, and positive environmental impacts. The remaining £2.5m will go towards alleviating hardship.

Better Futures will help to unlock opportunities and bring positive change to the communities we serve.

ActionFunder

We’ve partnered with ActionFunder, an online platform that matches organisations like ours to not-for-profit community groups like yours.

ActionFunder will match you with us and our Community Outreach Team will review these matches monthly.

If you’re successful we’ll send you a funding invitation through ActionFunder, and the rest is taken from there. 

If we can’t offer support on that occasion, you’ll be able to match with other organisations through ActionFunder, or we may revisit you at our next review.

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Apply for funding now

We’re using the ActionFunder website to help us manage the fund. Visit their site for details of how to apply.

Community funding - eligibility criteria

To apply for a share of the community funding, your project needs to involve one or more of the following:

  1. Nature and the environment Projects and organisations that directly impact and protect nature for the benefit of community health and wellbeing
  2. Education Providing new opportunities to help people of all ages grow and develop
  3. Community Groups that bring people together to create a sense of purpose within communities
  4. Vulnerability Organisations providing care and support to people who need extra help.

If you have questions about the fund or want to check if your project is eligible, please email BetterFuturesCommunity@bristolwater.co.uk.

Who can apply?
Who can apply?

You need to be located within our service area. The following are eligible to apply:

  • Schools, colleges or academies
  • Registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations
  • Constituted groups or clubs
  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)
  • Local community groups such as: cricket clubs, allotment groups, scout groups, garden clubs etc.
What we can fund
What we can fund

Things we can fund include:

  • Equipment hire and purchase
  • Skills and training
  • Employee salaries for time dedicated to working directly on the project
  • Professional fees i.e. builders, groundworkers or an interpretation design agency
What we can’t fund
What we can’t fund

We’re unable to help with the following:

  • Applications submitted by a person aged under 18 years old
  • Commercial businesses that make a profit (e.g. limited company, sole trader)
  • Individuals
  • Organisations and projects based outside of our service area
  • Projects where we are not the majority funder and will require further funding to complete
  • Retrospective costs – we will only fund new projects
  • Projects with a political or religious purpose*
  • Projects that have been unsuccessful with an application in the same financial year (April to April)

* We can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and doesn’t include religious content. 

How will the fund be administered?
Pennon Group is earmarking £500,000 within this fund to support community groups. This will be administered by Action Funder, whose fees will be paid from the fund. We expect that each year at least £450,000 will be donated to good causes

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Who can apply?

You need to be located within our service area. The following are eligible to apply:

  • Schools, colleges or academies
  • Registered charities and other not-for-profit organisations
  • Constituted groups or clubs
  • Community Interest Companies (CICs)
  • Local community groups such as: cricket clubs, allotment groups, scout groups, garden clubs etc.
What we can fund

Things we can fund include:

  • Equipment hire and purchase
  • Skills and training
  • Employee salaries for time dedicated to working directly on the project
  • Professional fees i.e. builders, groundworkers or an interpretation design agency
What we can’t fund

We’re unable to help with the following:

  • Applications submitted by a person aged under 18 years old
  • Commercial businesses that make a profit (e.g. limited company, sole trader)
  • Individuals
  • Organisations and projects based outside of our service area
  • Projects where we are not the majority funder and will require further funding to complete
  • Retrospective costs – we will only fund new projects
  • Projects with a political or religious purpose*
  • Projects that have been unsuccessful with an application in the same financial year (April to April)

* We can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and doesn’t include religious content. 

Pennon Group is earmarking £500,000 within this fund to support community groups. This will be administered by Action Funder, whose fees will be paid from the fund. We expect that each year at least £450,000 will be donated to good causes

Click Me

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The Water Bar

The Water Bar ensures that everyone can reduce their plastic waste and hear about the work of Bristol Water at events and festivals in our supply area. 

Click here for the water bar

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Our Blog

Read more about what is going on at Bristol Water

Read our blog here

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I need help paying my bill

We have a range of plans to reduce your bills or help manage your payments.

Get help with your bill

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