Community Fund: deadline approaching soon

Just one week to go for submission deadline to the Community Fund.

So if you have an idea that will be benefit our local community, please complete an application. 

The fund is a partnership between our University and the John Sykes Foundation. £50,000 is available for use in the coming academic year and forms part of our commitment to being a university for Reading; one engaged with the town and its people.

This is the second of a two-year pilot, and if successful over a two-year pilot, will become an on-going fund, dedicated to supporting research work and other projects in our community.  

The Community Fund is open to applications from all University academic and professional colleagues to support projects they are involved with either as part of their role, or in a voluntary capacity.

The project must involve working with and for the benefit of a local Reading community group or individual(s) and should be located within a 5-mile radius of Reading town centre. Proposed activities must also further at least one of the University's charitable objectives of advancing education, learning or research.  The emphasis of the Fund is to provide one-off, smaller awards (in the region of £1,000 p.a.) to projects.

However, thanks to the generous financial support from the John Sykes Foundation, we can now consider making larger awards (up to a maximum of £10,000 p.a.) on a one-off or multi-year basis. 

A successful first year

The Community Fund was launched in 2021 and saw 12 projects awarded funding covering a diverse range of areas, including art, music, education, sport, environment and heritage, and are aimed at helping those with disabilities, the homeless, refugees, school pupils, older people and more.

Among other projects, the money is helping fund:

• a mixed ability rugby team, including those with disabilities
• helping Reading’s homeless develop work skills and build confidence
• clean air for schools - equip children, parents and teachers with tools and skills to identify toxic air pollution and choose safer routes to school
• Reading’s only refugee football team 

John Sykes said, "We are honoured to be associated with the University of (and for) Reading and very excited as we enter the second year of our joint Community Fund. The first year’s applications were certainly inspiring and it gave us enormous pride in funding the projects, as varied as Reading’s only mixed ability rugby team to helping to empower local schools to combat air pollution. It’s great to see those working at the University engaging with the local community on some very impressive projects, making a meaningful difference to Reading. We are so looking forward to the applications this year."

Vice-Chancellor Robert Van de Noort said, “The Community Fund really demonstrates how we are a University for Reading. It is inspiring seeing how colleagues from across the University step up in their own time to contribute to local communities, and I am very proud the University can support their efforts.”  

How to apply

We are seeking colleagues wishing to apply for the next academic year. If you are interested in applying, please read the Community Fund Guidance Notes (Word, 1MB) before completing the application form (Word, 1MB). Please return the application form by 30 June 2022. 

Successful applicants will be notified in September 2022, following review of all the projects by a selection panel, which includes both our Vice-Chancellor, Robert Van de Noort and John Sykes - the Chair of Trustees. John Sykes Foundation

Established in 2014 by John Sykes, the John Sykes Foundation is a UK registered charity which has been established to improve the lives and well-being of individuals and communities within the town of Reading where there is an element of disadvantage. Read more about the Foundation at johnsykesfoundation.org