These Fast Track grants are part of Team Hackney Community Grants, launched today by Team Hackney and the Hackney Community Empowerment Network (CEN). Through last year’s programme, £750,000 was invested in the voluntary and community sector in Hackney, and, for the first time, large grants of up to £50,000 were made available to the sector.

 Click here for an application pack

Community Interest Companies (CIC) can now apply for these grants as well as small not-for-profit, voluntary and community sector groups with an annual turnover of under £250,000.

Funded projects must meet one of eight objectives which have been identified in Hackney’s Local Area Agreement (LAA) as ways that the voluntary and community sector can contribute to improving life in Hackney. These include: reducing worklessness; creating cleaner, greener and safer public spaces; supporting older people to live independently; tackling domestic violence; raising educational attainment; reducing the rate of violent and criminal gang culture; and reducing health inequalities for young people.

Last year’s Fast Track grants were very popular with over 77 groups successfully receiving funding for a wide range of projects from football tournaments, health sessions for older people, and alcohol and substance misuse advice services, to a recycling information day, music production and healthy cooking workshops.

Ian Lewis, Director of Partnership for Hackney Council, said: “Last year there were lots of creative and innovative ideas for summer activities which received funding, and we are delighted to be running the Fast Track grants programme again. The activities need to be enjoyable and engaging but they also need to show how they will benefit the people of Hackney, especially those who need them most.”

Clapton Rangers, a football team which received a Team Hackney Fast Track Community Grant last year, won the 2008 London Sunday Junior Cup, beating Barking's Eastwood Sports 2-1. The squad is made up of 40 young men aged 18-25 from the Clapton Park and Kingsmead estates, and trains weekly on Hackney marshes. The idea for a football team came from founders Mark Whyte, now club secretary, and Decarlo Franklin, manager, back in 2005. The club reformed for the 2006-7 season, after a 20 year absence from Sunday football.

 Click here for an application pack or pop into HCVS at 84 Springfield House, 5 Tyssen Street, London E8 2LY or call 020 7923 1962 

For enquiries about the programme, contact Gillian Trevethan at HCVS on 020 7923 8186 or Gillian@hcvs.org.uk. For media enquiries about Team Hackney contact Ruth Garland at Team Hackney on 020 8356 2476.