VOLUNTEER GRANTS PANEL MEMBER (HPC)

We’re asking for a commitment of around 6 unpaid days per year, plus expenses if you need them. 

Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) gives out over £4 million every year to small charities and community groups in Somerset. We give most of this money out as grants. 

As part of this work, we manage the Hinkley Point C (HPC) Community Fund. HPC is one of the biggest developments that Somerset has ever seen. It’s making a big difference to the lives of people living nearby, particularly in places like Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and the surrounding villages. 

HPC has created new opportunities for people living in the area, but the build has also impacted on some people’s quality of life. The HPC Community Fund is for communities that are experiencing these changes.  

Many groups apply to us for this money, and we’ll never have enough for everyone.  

Making decisions about which groups get some money and which don’t is one of the most important things we do.  

We want you to help us make those decisions.  

ABOUT OUR VOLUNTEER GRANTS PANEL 

A group of people meet 4 times a year to decide who gets some of this money. 

We call this a grants panel. It’s made up of volunteers from the community, alongside representatives from SCF, EDF and Somerset Council.  

We’re looking for someone from the community to join this panel, which has around £1.5 million to give out each year.  

Panel members work together to make the best decisions they can with the money we have. 

This isn’t easy, but we’ll support you to make your decisions. We’ll also give you some training before you start. 

WHO WOULD MAKE A GOOD VOLUNTEER GRANTS PANEL MEMBER? 

Everyone who joins our panel knows different things and has lived different lives. It’s these differences that help the panel make good decisions.   

You don’t need experience of sitting on a panel and you don’t need any qualifications or work experience. 

What you do need is:  

• a passion for Somerset  
• some knowledge of the amazing work done by small charities and community groups 
• a willingness to work with others to tackle some difficult decisions  
• some free time to read about the things people are asking for money for before a meeting 
• flexibility to attend panel meetings  
• basic computer skills 
• to be at least 18 years of age.  

Ideally, we’d like someone who lives in a community that is more heavily impacted by HPC.   

We can pay expenses to help you take part. This can include travel costs to attend a meeting or childcare.  

OUR PANELS REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITIES 

We welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you have lots of experience making decisions like this or want to take your first step, we would love to hear from you.   

At the moment our panels don’t always represent all of Somerset’s diverse communities. We would especially welcome applications from people with disabilities, minority ethnic people, or LGBTQ+ people. 

We’re committed to increasing opportunities for people to contribute to their local community. This means we’ll respond positively to your individual needs during the recruitment process. 

WHEN WE’D NEED YOU 

There are 4 meetings a year.  

We currently hold meetings on Friday afternoons at venues in and around Bridgwater. These meetings are face-to-face, but there’s also an option to join online if needed.  

A week before the meeting we’ll send you information about the charities and community groups that have asked for money.  

It’s important that you have the time to read this information and come to the meeting with your ideas.