The second round of the Community Radio Fund 2021-22 is now open for applications from eligible stations and will close at 5pm on Friday 7 January 2022.
In addition to the £178,533 available after the conclusion of the first round, DCMS has also made an additional £200,000 available for the second round of the Fund. This means that the total amount available to be awarded in the upcoming round is £378,533.
In 2020-21, grants were provided as emergency cash funding to support stations facing severe financial difficulty due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
As set out before the first round, the Fund has now returned to supporting the core costs of running Ofcom-licensed community radio stations, as set out in the guidance notes published below.
Licensees that hold a Community Digital Sound Programme (C-DSP) licence are eligible to apply for the Fund if the station is broadcasting on a digital radio multiplex at the date of their application.
Grants can only be made to Ofcom-licensed community radio stations in the UK, broadcasting on AM, FM, or via a C-DSP licence on a digital radio multiplex.
Ofcom says: “We expect that the Community Radio Fund Panel will meet in February 2022 to consider the applications. However, scheduling will depend on the volume of applications we receive.
“Applications from eligible licence-holders may be submitted in Welsh. Any application submitted in Welsh will be treated no less favourably than an application submitted in English.
“For further information, please contact the Community Radio Fund team at communityradiofund@ofcom.org.uk.”
This story first appeared on radiotoday.co.uk