Voluntary and community organisations in north Norfolk will be given the chance to apply for grants from their council’s new £450,000 big society fund.

North Norfolk District Council is offering the organisations, as well as town and parish councils in the district, the chance to apply for grants to support community projects “intended to improve or support the wellbeing of communities and/or deliver improvements to the local economy in North Norfolk”.

The £450,000 is available for the financial year 2012/13, and a detailed prospectus and application form will be available online from Monday 26 March. The Council will accept applications from 2 April 2012 and those submitted before 4 May 2012 will be discussed at the first board meeting on 21 May.

North Norfolk is the latest of several district councils nationwide which have ring-fenced money into a ‘big society fund’ to be distributed as grants to relevant community-focused organisations, as part of Nick Hurd’s ‘big society initiative’.

Applications will be considered throughout the year and should be made to the Norfolk Community Foundation, which is undertaking day-to-day administration on the Council’s behalf and provide advice and guidance to potential applicants.