Round 4 of the Wandsworth Big Society Fund (BSF) is now open - after more than £75,000 was distributed amongst 27 worthy groups in the previous round of grant allocations.

Up to £115,000 is currently available to local organisations and informal groups of residents who come together with the aim of improving their neighbourhoods, supporting volunteering projects, promoting active citizenship or carrying out civic duties.

Grants of between £500 and £5,000 are available but applications must be received by September 10 this year.

One group benefitting from grant funding in round three is Body Action Campaign, which successfully applied for £4,786 to continue engaging young people aged between seven and 18 through film, animation, music, dance, puppetry and creative arts workshops.

Bunny Martin, project director at the volunteer-run charity, said: "We were delighted to have the chance to put in an application for a grant and thrilled to be awarded one.

"We are a 13px children's charity based in Tooting and work with some of the most disadvantaged children all over Wandsworth - particularly refugee and asylum seekers, black and ethnic minorities and those failing at school, as well as a lot of children on the local estates."

Receiving grant funding totalling £995 was Housebound Learners (HBL), which has been operating in Wandsworth since 1988 bringing informal education to interested people who for a variety of reasons are unable to take part in mainstream provision.

HBL spokeswoman, Alison Macdonald, said: "The grant is important because we need people who will help us organise some short courses, and people who can share the course content with home students - we need help in letting people know who we are and what we do, and there's the little matter of fundraising.

"People are now living longer - and we know that learning enriches people's lives and helps with 'mental fitness'."

Grant funding of £2,400 was awarded to the Tooting-based Work and Play Community Scrapstore, which provides groups of people of all ages and backgrounds within the community with high quality donated and reusable materials for educational and play activities that would otherwise be sent to landfill.

Also celebrating successful applications for grants were Alegria do Norte and Hill Lodge Gardeners Club, in Battersea.

Hill Lodge Gardeners Club will use a £875 grant to buy a wheel barrow, watering cans, two new tables and hoses. This new equipment will enable more residents to help contribute to the maintenance of their garden.

Meanwhile Alegria do Norte received £2,500 to run a project for young people to life healthy lifestyles by taking part in modern dance workshops.

Councillor Guy Senior, Wandsworth Council's executive member for finance and corporate resources, said: "Once again, the Big Society Fund has heard from some great projects which the council is delighted to support.

"They illustrate real community initiative and innovation that will make a difference to the lives of Wandsworth residents. I encourage groups with ideas that they think are worth supporting to consider making a bid before September 10."

The Wandsworth BSF application form and guidance can be found by visiting www.wandsworth.gov.uk/wbsf. All applications must have the support of a local ward councillor.

A second grant scheme, the Wandsworth Community Fund, is also open for applications. This fund supports community activities in the borough that encourage civic and community action.

Grants of between £250 and £5,000 are available and priority will be given to projects working to further opportunities for young people in the borough. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday, September 21.

Further information on how to apply - as well as other funding opportunities for Wandsworth projects - can be found here.

It is possible to bid to both funds but you should make clear on your application forms why you are bidding to both and what activities each scheme would be funding.

For more details about either funding scheme contact Nigel Chandler on 020 8871 6206 or email nchandler@wandsworth.gov.uk.