COMMUNITY groups are being urged to enter an annual awards scheme which last year gave away £20,000 to good causes across the region – including Keighley and South Craven.

Skipton Building Society is again staging its Grassroots Giving initiative, which was set-up six years ago to support small groups that don’t normally attract funding.

Entrants are shortlisted and then the public votes for which schemes should receive cash.

Last year, more than 700 organisations across the country entered.

Successful groups included 40 in Yorkshire.

Among them – and each receiving £500 – were Cononley Singers, Glusburn Youth Theatre and Silsden Carers, Cared for & Past Carers Group.

This year, a total of £82,500 will be distributed between165 groups.

Applications open on Tuesday (May 1), at skiptongrg.co.uk.

Shortlisting will take place in August and those chosen will then be profiled on the website, ahead of public voting beginning.

Roy Prenton, for the Grassroots Giving team, said the funding provided a huge boost to the chosen groups.

He added: “These self-funded groups work hard to improve their local communities, are managed by volunteers and all have unique challenges when faced with running costs and having the money and resources to grow.

“We’re proud that this funding from Skipton will play a huge role in their future growth.

“Often small groups are out on a limb and struggle to gain funding from elsewhere, as they are not registered charities.

“Grassroots Giving enables us to really get to the heart of our local communities and we love being able to help causes that we see in action in our neighbourhoods.

“We know that the money they receive will have an impact and this is really important to us.”

As part of the scheme, the building society has also launched a series of free resources covering a range of key issues for community groups.

Areas covered include getting started and raising funds, managing your group, gaining corporate support, recruiting volunteers, managing money for the organisation and accessing grants.

The materials have been provided by social enterprise consultant Jo Boardman, who has over 12 years’ experience working with community organisations.

They can be downloaded at skiptongrg.co.uk/free-resources.

There is also a social network, provided by the society, to help community and voluntary groups get better connected.

Mr Prenton added: “It acts as a ‘hub’ for all Grassroots Giving followers, winners and past/future applicants, to enable knowledge sharing and networking.

“For more updates on our support of community organisations, people can also follow us via twitter.com @SkiptonBS_GrG and Facebook.com/skiptongrg.”