Helping you to promote Grassroots Neighbourhood schemes

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to share news about projects in your division that have received funding from the Grassroots Neighbourhood Fund. With this in mind, we have produced guidelines and templates which will support you to promote awards via your own channels including:

• A template media release which you can easily adapt for your own use and issue directly to local media via your usual party’s channels

• Draft social media posts which can be tailored to suit and posted on your own channels

By using these templates correctly, the Corporate Communications Team will be able to amplify your own communications through corporate communications channels.

Please be aware that if the content you share includes political messaging, the Corporate Communications Team won’t be able to share or support your content.

In addition to the templates, we have made a Grassroots Neighbourhood Fund ‘big cheque’ for use in your photos and/or video content. The cheques have been given to:

• Liberal democrats: Anya-Maria Piechowiak

• Reform: Ben Prizeman

• Green: Nick Langridge

• Conservative: TBC

• Labour: TBC

• Independent: TBC

Promotion by GCC Corporate Communications

A selection of projects from across the county will be promoted and celebrated directly by Corporate Communications and featured on the county council’s channels. These will be pre-agreed and the Communications Team will liaise with the relevant elected member to arrange the project visit and any associated communications including photos, video and a media release.

Guidelines for promotion by individual member’s channels

1. Keep messaging consistent and keep key facts

The Grassroots Neighbourhood Fund has core messages, such as improving health, wellbeing, and community resilience, and grants ranging from £250 to £5,000.

These should be kept consistent across all posts to reinforce public understanding of the fund.

2. Personalise the message

Use the template wording as your base and personalise the following:

• Project name

• Funding amount

• Your division

• Why the project matters locally

• Any visit details, photos or observations

Do not change the fund’s factual information or eligibility criteria.

3. Tag responsibly to help us share your communications

Where appropriate:

• Tag the organisation you’re funding

• Tag Gloucestershire County Council

• Avoid tagging individuals unless they have public-facing roles and have given consent

The Corporate Communications Team may share posts from individual councillor social media accounts. The team will not share posts from political party social media accounts.

4. Keep announcements positive, clear and community‑focused

Posts should highlight:

• Community benefit

• Local pride

• How the funding supports wellbeing or resilience

• Encouragement for other groups to apply

Avoid political messaging if you want the Corporate Communications Team to amplify your promotion/celebration.

5. Use a photo

A strong image increases engagement.

• Hold a Grassroots Neighbourhood Fund cheque (please only use a dry wipe marker to fill out the name of the organisation and amount, and wipe clean as soon as possible to avoid permanent marking and enable future use)

• With consent, include representatives from the funded project

• Attend the funded location

Ensure photos are:

• Engaging

• In good lighting

• And that you have gained the necessary photo/video consent (particularly when children or vulnerable people are present).

You should use your own party’s photo consent form for your own communications. Where the Corporate Communications Team are leading on communications about a project, the main GCC photo and video consent form will be used to enable us to store and share the images and/or video on GCC channels.

6. Always include the Grassroots Neighbourhood Fund webpage link

Use the official link in every post so community groups can easily access information: www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/grassroots-neighbourhood-fund

7. Keep platform differences in mind

Facebook: Slightly longer, storytelling style posts.

LinkedIn: Professional tone, highlight community impact and strategic value.

Instagram: Photo‑led; keep text short and friendly. Use hashtags sparingly.

8. Double‑check spelling of project names, amounts and locations

Accuracy builds trust. Take a moment to make sure the details are correct before posting.

9. Timing

You can post:

• Immediately after a funding decision has been approved

• During or after a project visit

• Coordinated with GCC Corporate Communications Team if advised (e.g. when multiple announcements go live or when the project is being featured on the council’s corporate channels)

If your visit is one that the GCC Communications Team is covering from its corporate channels, we will work with you to arrange the visit, draft a media release, take photos and record video. Where this is the case, the Corporate Communications Team will notify councillors about the planned release date. Please wait until after the official GCC announcement before posting your own communications.

10. Stay within the purpose of the fund

In your message, link the project back to the goals of the fund:

• Improving health and wellbeing

• Reducing inequalities

• Supporting community resilience

• Strengthening connections

• Enhancing local facilities or opportunities

This helps residents understand why the project was chosen.

11. Avoid discussions about unannounced projects

Only post about your own approved project.

Do not reference:

• The total amount allocated so far by the Grassroots Neighbourhood Fund

• Other councillor projects

• Projects you have nominated that haven’t yet been approved

12. If you're unsure, please ask us

Gloucestershire County Council’s Corporate Communications Team: communications@gloucestershire.gov.uk