Community Foundation and ACC Liverpool have announced the third round of the ACC Liverpool Foundation. Funding up to £2000 is available to local voluntary organisations or community groups in Merseyside for projects that focus on the following priorities: Children, young people and families; Social isolation; Education and learning; Communities; Housing and homelessness. The budget is £4000 and therefore the Foundation is looking to fund 2 significant projects that clearly meet their criteria and can make a significant impact in the community. The fund can be closed at any time and the Community Foundation will be looking to present approximately 6-8 applications to the panel that meets in July. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.cfmerseyside.org.uk/index.php?p=200
Arts Council England have launched a £35.2 million programme aiming to build on the legacy of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad by: contributing to the development of strong cultural places; growing and developing talent and leadership in the regions and across artforms; giving an international dimension to excellent work; and creating the highest quality new work including for outdoor and festival contexts. Ambition for excellence is a rolling programme from 28th May 2015 to 27th October 2017, and applications will be initially received via an expression of interest. Applicants can apply for between £100,000 and £750,000, across a period of up to three years. Organisations eligible include: National portfolio organisations, museums, and organisations primarily focused on one or more of the following: creating; producing; distribution; and presenting the arts in England. Applications from partnerships can also be made. For more information and guidance, or to make an expression of interest, please visit the website. www.artscouncil.org.uk/funding/apply-funding/apply-for-funding/ambition-excellence
The Morrisons Foundation has been set up to support good causes throughout the UK that really make a difference to people’s lives. It has two schemes available: A fund matching scheme for fundraising challenges up to £500; A charitable grant scheme for registered charities seeking funding on a particular project that will improve people’s lives. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.morrisonsfoundation.com
The Allen Lane Foundation is looking to fund work which benefits people in the following groups, or generalist work which includes significant numbers from more than one such group: Asylum seekers and refugees; Gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people; Gypsies and Travellers; Migrant workers; Offenders and ex-offenders; Older people; People experiencing mental health problems; People experiencing violence or abuse. Grants range from £500 – £15,000 and are available to organisations seeking funding for a charitable project that: will make a lasting difference to people’s lives rather than simply alleviating the symptoms or current problems; is aimed at reducing isolation, stigma and discrimination; and encourages or enables unpopular groups to share in the life of the whole community. The Foundation is particularly interested in unusual, imaginative or pioneering projects. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.allenlane.org.uk/who.html
The Hospital Saturday Fund is a registered Charity whose aims are to provide assistance through its charitable funds for: individuals with a medical condition or disability who would benefit from assistance with the purchase of specialised equipment or from practical forms of treatment; registered health charities such as hospitals, hospices, medical organisations who are in need of grants for medical projects, care, research or support of medical training within the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The deadline for the next round of applications is 13th July. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.hospitalsaturdayfund.org
The DM Thomas Foundation for Young People provides funding for registered charities in the UK and Ireland which work to improve the lives of children and young people across Europe. Applications for a Central Grant will be considered from those working in education or health in one of the following categories: Children and young people with disabilities; Children and young people who are sick in hospital; Children and young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; Children and young people who are life limited (requiring palliative care). If selected, grant applications for up to £10,000 can be approved by the Committee, and applications for more than £10,000 are recommended to the Trustees for final approval. There is no limit on the amount of money that a charity can request. The deadline for the next round of applications is 5.30pm on 28th July. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. https://dmthomasfoundation.org/what-we-do/grants/dmtf-central-grants
Skipton Building Society’s Grassroots Giving programme for 2015 is looking to award 162 groups around the country with a £500 contribution towards the fantastic work they do within their local communities. The Grassroots Giving programme does not support registered charities but, rather, groups who may struggle to get funding from elsewhere. The deadline for applications is 31st July. Then a shortlist of organisations will be compiled and listed on the Grassroots Giving website for a public vote starting 1st September. The winning groups will then be notified from 1st November and receive their £500 contribution in December. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.skiptongrg.co.uk
The Teach First Innovation Award aims to support 5 social entrepreneurs tackling educational inequality in the UK. Each Award-winner will receive 6 months’ full-time salary and 12 months of support, including a place on the Innovation Accelerator – an intensive programme of technical training, supportive mentoring and expert advice – to turn their ideas into action. The deadline for applications is 15th July. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.teachfirst.org.uk/what-we-do/encouraging-innovation-education-0/innovation-award
The Boshier-Hinton Foundation aims to improve quality of life for people with disabilities or learning difficulties and their families. It does this by: providing relief for children and adults with special educational or other needs, and their families, in any part of the country; making donations to institutions providing facilities and advocacy for children and adults with special educational or other needs; making donations to other registered Charitable Trusts; making donations to local community charities or other agencies in any part of the country whose objects are no wider than the charity’s own, or to any charity for use for particular purposes, which fall within the charity’s objects. Requests to support projects which are innovative and developmental are particularly welcomed. Typical grants are up to £5000. For more information and to apply, please visit the website. www.boshierhintonfoundation.org.uk/index.php
Merseyside Funding Information Portal, an online resource that will give you all you need to know about funding your charitable or community work, whether you are an individual, community group, voluntary organisation, registered charity or social enterprise. In addition, information and support in tendering and procurement related opportunities for voluntary bodies are now offered through this portal.
www.mfip.org.uk/
Funding alerts from Funding Central www.fundingcentral.org.uk
Are you getting the most out of your weekly funding alerts? Check your profile and see if there’s any information you might be missing out on. Your weekly email can contain new and updated funding alerts of regional, national and European opportunities as well as reminders of approaching deadlines, notifications about potential partners, news and events. Can’t wait for the weekly newsletter? Don’t forget you can run a search on the website at any time and adjust and save your settings for next time.
Other interesting news…
It has been announced that the new Big Lottery Local Officer for Wirral is Natalie Brandon.
ProHelp Wirral offers access to a limited pro bono range of professional expertise. Members include solicitors, accountants, surveyors, architects, public relations, marketing and management consultants. For more information or an application form, please email Community Action Wirral’s Funding Development Officer, Zel Rodgers, at: [email protected] or phone her on: 0151 353 9700 (Ext. 205).
The ‘Small Fundraisers’ group met on Friday 12th June at the Heart of Egremont. They were joined by Kelly Court, Community Philanthropy Executive from Community Foundation for Merseyside, who shared a lot of useful information including: ACC Liverpool is now open (see above for details); Comic Relief will relaunch around September (although the maximum amount that organisations can apply for may be reduced to £5000); Liverpool One opens again next month with a panel in September; Shop Direct coming up soon; Peel Ports 500 is open with a July /August panel; Police Property Fund will have another round in the Autumn; Community Foundation for Merseyside are changing the website (www.cfmerseyside.org.uk) and will relaunch around September.
The ‘Small Fundraisers’ group also discussed legacy fundraising and the barriers to it. The group suggested a training session would help to overcome issues with this fundraising stream. If this is something that would interest you, could you please email Zel Rodgers at: [email protected] and, if there is enough interest, she will organise a session.
The TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards seeks to bring about positive social change by championing heroes who use technology for good. The Awards scheme awards each Digital Hero £5,000 and the overall Digital Hero £10,000. The Digital Heroes will also be recognised at a ceremony at the House of Commons, where their great work will be showcased to politicians and other key influencers in the world of technology. There are ten themed categories to enter: Next Generation Digital Hero, Internet Safety, Employment, Healthy Living, Silver Surfer, Skills, Volunteer, Fundraising, Education, and Sustainability. The ten category winners are selected by a public vote and the overall winner selected by an expert panel of judges. Entries are open until 24th July. For more information and to enter, please visit the website. http://digitalheroes.talktalk.co.uk
The Enabling State Challenge is about showcasing and celebrating examples of good enabling approaches in action. Five prizes of £5000 will be awarded to exemplary initiatives that demonstrate how to give communities and individuals greater control in a way that improves wellbeing. From these five winners, one will be selected as an overall winner and will receive an additional £5000 prize. The deadline for entries is midnight on Friday 26th June. For more information about the Enabling State Challenge, including eligibility criteria, selection process and how to enter, please visit the website. www.enablingstate.co.uk/enter
Civil Society has published an article by Pauline Carnet entitled ‘Six tips on how to get your funding proposals noticed’. It is designed to help you write a powerful funding proposal catch the eye and get funding. The 6 points are: Know your audience and tailor your proposal; Watch your logic; Be inclusive and think sustainable; Establish a realistic and detailed budget plan; Show that you can deliver; Make it short, sweet and avoid jargon. For the full article, please visit the website. www.civilsociety.co.uk/fundraising/blogs/content/19756/six_tips_on_how_to_get_your_funding_proposals_noticed
Community Action Wirral’s Funding Development Officer, Zel Rodgers, is also seeking fundraisers’ views on another Civil Society article in which former IoF chair, Mark Astarita, argues fundraisers should need a licence to practise. Please email your views to Zel at: [email protected]
Zel also reports that, although it’s not specifically stated on the website, Wirral Travel Solutions will help volunteers get to their voluntary placement. So, if you’re struggling to pay travelling expenses for volunteers, it is well worth making an enquiry. www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/jobs-and-careers/travel-solutions
For more information on funding or to be added to the circulation list please contact Zel Rodgers – Funding Development Officer. Email [email protected] or call 0151 353 9700 ext 205
