Modernisation Fund Meets Growing Sector Need

Non-departmental government body Capacitybuilders has announced that up to 500 third sector organisations have received cash injections from the Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund, despite it only being open a matter of months.

The programme, intended to encourage third sector groups to explore the possibilities of merging and collaborating with other organisations in order to combat the effects of the recession, has proved very popular, particularly with those involved in frontline services now in high demand because of the current economic climate.

Matt Leach, Capacitybuilders’ Chief Executive said:

“We are seeing a particularly high level of interest from smaller organisations working in community cohesion, debt and other advice, and family and mental health support services, reflecting the increased demand from communities for this sort of help as a result of the recession”.

Third Sector Minister, Angela Smith, praised the warm response to the programme and the sector’s attitude to change:

“I…pay tribute to the third sector organisations that have the vision to consider modernisation so that they can do more for the people who need their help”.

The current funding round will remain open until 17 July and it is anticipated that successful applicants will be able to bid for an additional grant of £10,000 to develop merger and partnership working plans further in the Autumn.

For further information visit: http://www.modernisationfund.org.uk/

Capacitybuilders announce new £3 million Fund for volunteering

A new grants programme to provide support to organisations that manage volunteers has been announced by non-departmental government body, Capacitybuilders.

The £3 million programme, developed in response to recommendations from the 2008 Commission on the Future of Volunteering, is intended to develop a long-term vision for volunteering throughout England and is keen to help ensure that volunteers have the best possible experiences whilst volunteering.

The importance and prominence of volunteering has sky-rocketed since the economic downturn and, as Campbell Robb, Director-General for the Office of the Third Sector, confirms, it is now more important than ever to ensure volunteering programmes are effective and useful for everyone involved:

“This £3 million fund represents the Government’s ongoing support for volunteering.  This is particularly important now, as volunteering organisations are reporting that more people want to volunteer to gain new skills and improve their employability.  It is vital that our dedicated volunteers are properly managed and developed in their roles, to ensure that they are in the best position to take up future opportunities.”

It is anticipated that the grants programme will be delivered via three separate initiatives:

Strand A:  a £1.6 million funding pot until March 2011 that will be targeted at around 25 local volunteering development organisations to help them provide outreach and other direct support services to people who manage volunteers.  30 local expert partnerships throughout England will be invited to develop project proposals by autumn 2009.

Strand B:  a £200,000 grant specifically targeted for the national strategic support of volunteer management, coordinated via the existing Modernising Volunteering national support service.

Strand C:  a £1 million bursary fund available from April 2010 to help support training for people managing volunteers.

In the coming months, Capacitybuilders will continue to consult with key stakeholders to develop the bursary, ahead of its launch in the spring of 2010.

For further information visit:  http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/

Source: Capacitybuilders

Small charities to cash in!

This week Cabinet Minister Nick Byrne announced a funding pot of more than £750,000 for small local charities and voluntary organisations that work with vulnerable members of society and carry out campaigning initiatives. 

 

The programme, which will be administered by third sector infrastructure body Capacitybuilders, will provide grants to up to 30 organisations over a period of two years.

 

The aim of this cash injection is to encourage small, locally-based groups that represent the most vulnerable people in society to make their voices heard.  Capacitybuilders are particularly keen to hear from organisations that work with people with disabilities and disadvantaged young people and have an innovative approach.

 

It is anticipated the grants programme will open to applications later this Spring.

 

For further information visit:

 

http://capacitybuilders.org.uk/

 

 

Source: Third Sector

 

Modernisation Fund begins to take shape

More details of the work planned for the government’s ‘Real Help’ action plan for the hard-hit Third Sector have been revealed this week.

 

It has been announced that the Modernisation Fund, one element of the £42 million proposed programme, will be jointly managed by Third Sector infrastructure bodies Futurebuilders and Capacitybuilders.

 

Futurebuilders are planning to offer loans of between £30,000 and £500,000 to large third sector agencies with a turnover of £750,000 or more.  These cash injections are intended to support mergers between small and medium-sized third sector organisations and resolve financial and capacity issues.

 

Capacitybuilders will also be launching a funding programme in early summer 2009 that will offer smaller grants to groups with a turnover of less £1 million.  These grants are intended to encourage collaboration, merger or restructuring as a means of ensuring third sector groups continue to be sustainable and are able to weather the current economic storm.

 

For further information visit:

 

Futurebuilders:  http://www.futurebuilders-england.org.uk/

 

 

Capacitybuilders:  http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/

 

Source:  Office of the Third Sector

Capacitybuilders warn Third Sector to plan for the future

Capacitybuilders – the public body responsible for improving the voluntary sector’s infrastructure – is urging organisations to ensure they are working hard to meet the changing needs of local communities now in deep recession. 

 

Grant holders currently receiving funding from Capacitybuilders will be asked to submit reports on their plans for the future and are being encouraged to show adaptability and careful planning, in order to tackle the current turbulent economic climate.

 

In a move to align their grant-making with the government’s £42 million aid package for the third sector announced last week, Capacitybuilders will boost its ChangeUp programme with an extra £1 million of funding to be distributed to existing grant holders and share out an additional £300,000 to front-line charitable organisations that are currently in demand and making a big difference.

 

Source: Capacitybuilders

Funding Deadline Round Up!

Christmas is fast approaching and so are these January funding deadlines!

 

Capital Grants for Premises Improvements and Significant Refurbishment – Capacitybuilders – 31/01/09

 

Cut Your Carbon – East of England Development Agency – 31/01/09

 

Campus Capital Programme – Department of Health – 30/01/09

 

Tesco Charity Trust – Tesco – 31/01/09

 

Regional Skills Capital Development Fund – Learning and Skills Council – 31/01/09

 

Scotland: Investing in Ideas – Big Lottery in Scotland – 30/01/09

 

Wales: YAPP Charitable Trust – YAPP Charitable Trust – 31/01/09

 

Northern Ireland: Southern Board Drug and Alcohol Small Grants Scheme – Southern Board Drug and Alcohol Co-Ordination Team

 

For further information consult the j4bCommunity website:

 

http://www.j4bcommunity.co.uk/Default.aspx

Three-way merger proposed by Third Sector

Chief executives of Third Sector support agencies are this week calling for a merger between big-hitting funders Capacitybuilders, Futurebuilders and the Big Lottery Fund (BLF), in order to create a new independent, non-departmental public body for delivering loans and grants.

 

These calls come after claims made by David Blunkett in his recent Third Sector report that the BLF should be protected at all costs. 

 

Stuart Etherington, NCVO chief executive, claimed the proposed three-way merger would go one better than simply securing the future of the BLF.  Acevo chief executive, Stephen Bubb, called the suggestion a “great advance” that will undoubtedly cut bureaucracy and make grant applications infinitely simpler. 

 

Source NCVO

Cash from Capacitybuilders!

This week has seen non-departmental public body Capacitybuilders award grants totalling £2.5 million to third sector infrastructure organisations.

 

The grants, part of a three-year, £11.5 million investment programme, are intended to improve and modernise third sector support services in local areas across England. 

 

Examples of projects that have received funding in this current phase are the Rutland Third Sector Infrastructure Consortium, which can now run leadership projects thanks to a handout worth £250,000, and the London Regional Consortium, which is now able to develop a ‘how-to’ guide on securing public premises.

 

For further information visit:

 

http://www.capacitybuilders.org.uk/

 

Source: Capacitybuilders