Archive for December 2007

Encyclopedia of Grant Writing and Fund Raising

27/12/2007 by admin.

Here is the definitive guide to fund raising:

Encyclopedia of Grant Writing and Fund Raising

Eddy Jackson
www.cyrene.co.uk
www.communicationuk.com

Posted in Charity Fund Raising | No Comments »

Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) : : REPORT

23/12/2007 by admin.

The Value and Independence of the Voluntary Sector
Highlights of this report
This study describes the distinctive values of the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) andassesses whether the government’s service delivery agenda has impacted on the sector’sindependence.

Independence

• The research suggests that the voluntary and community sector does not see itself indanger of government takeover, even though many of the groups in our sample acceptgovernment money.• A group’s sense of its own independence derives from its income, activities andattitudes. The following five factors enhance groups’ feelings of independence:1. If they receive funding from foundations and charitable trusts, particularlylong-term core funding2. If they raise a portion of their own income3. If they have a positive attitude toward commerce4. If they engage in advocacy5. If they are creative in the way they meet the demands of funders
Values
• Voluntary and community sector groups have distinctive values and qualities thatmake them excellent providers of services and effective advocates of change:1. Passionate, risk taking and persistent – they are willing to speak out andchallenge the system2. Knowledge and ‘cultural competence’ allow them to help the hardest toreach people3. Holistic, person-centred approach allows them to deliver more effectiveservices4. They turn ‘service users’ into agents of social change5. They are uniquely placed to work between different government agencies
Recommendations:
• Government needs to focus on the long term outcomes of VCS organisations’ work,rather than on hitting short term numerical targets, in order to achieve its aims andobjectives for the sector• Foundations can play a unique role by supporting a cadre of bold organizations thatchallenge the system and operate outside of state funding• VCS groups need to better measure their own effectiveness• This limited study has acted as a barometer to test the state of the sector. Moreresearch is required to develop a deeper understanding of the issues facing the VCS. Check out the report:The Value and Independence of the Voluntary Sector

Eddy Jackson
www.communicationuk.com

www.cyrene.co.uk

 

Posted in Community Funding Agencies, charities | No Comments »

December Funding Update

18/12/2007 by admin.

Community Food and Health Small Grants Scheme (Scotland) Community based groups and agencies working towards improving the diets of people within low-income communities have the opportunity of applying for funding of between £500 and £3,000 through the Community Food and Health (Scotland) Small Grants Scheme. All applications must tackle one or more of the barriers to healthy eating that were first outlined in the Scottish Diet Action Plan (1996). These are; lack of access to fruit and vegetables of an acceptable quality and cost; the cost of shopping; the lack of confidence and skills for cooking or shopping; challenging long established dietary habits and reluctance to experiment with new foods. All applications must be for the costs of a new food activity or for developing the range, scale or sustainability of current food activity. Applications are also accepted for pilot projects or feasibility studies. The small grant scheme opens in the spring and closes in the early summer. Previous projects supported include Burnfoot Community School which received a grant of £840 for three healthy eating projects for young children and their parents; and the Homeless Implementation Group which received a grant of £2,001 to provide monthly cooking skills sessions within homeless hostels.http://www.communityfoodandhealth.org.uk/funding/smallgrants.php  Switched on Communities (UK)  DSG International, the owners of brands such as PC World, Curry’s and Dixon’s, etc, has announced the launch of the Switched On Communities Programme. The aim of the programme, which is being managed through the DSG International Foundation is to tackle the Digital Divide which excludes disadvantaged communities from online resources. Grants of up to £500 (normally in the form of vouchers) are available for community based projects that improve local social, economic and environmental conditions in and around DSG International sites, and in areas where the Group’s presence is most closely felt. The programme also aims to provide information technology to disadvantaged groups; supporting training initiatives to help bridge the digital divide; and local projects to promote the inclusion of young people into mainstream education and society. Examples could include a primary school in a deprived area that needs a new cooker to provide healthy food for this students… an project teaching elderly people IT skills… or a youth centre who wish to run courses in multimedia.  Applications can be made at any timehttp://www.dsgiplc.com/layout.aspx?CatID={4e16ae43-8a69-4b29-80e5-97d20f2b90d8}&ID={f3998148-e330-4573-ad32-91951106dcdb}  

 Japan 21 Awards (UK) 

Educational establishments and community based organisations that wish to develop projects and events related to Japan and Japanese culture are able to apply for funding through the Japan 21 awards. The Japan 21 awards were initiated in December 2002 from the merger of the Japan Festival Fund and Japan Festival Education Trust (JFET). The awards support projects with an education or youth focus, which include an element of participation or which are community or regionally based. Most awards are of £1,000 or less and should not, in principle, cover more than 50% of the total budget. Applications may be made at any time and applicants are informed of the decision within 4 weeks of receipt of the application.  Applications can be made at any time.http://www.japan21.org.uk/  Young Roots (UK) Young Roots offers grants of between £5,000 and £25,000. The scheme aims to involve 13-20 year-olds (up to 25 for those with special needs) in finding out about their heritage, developing skills, building confidence and promoting community involvement. Projects needs to be related to the local and culturally varied heritage of the UK. For example, it could involve young people researching a local archive or doing practical casework on a nature reserve. Projects must also show how young people are managing and participating in the project. Projects should promote social inclusion and equal opportunities by involving a wide range of young people of different abilities and cultural backgrounds. Applications can be made at any time.http://www.hlf.org.uk/English/HowToApply/OurGrantGivingProgrammes/YoungRoots/

People Awards (UK)The Wellcome Trust is inviting applications from a wide range of organisations and partnerships involved in bio science, education and the arts to apply for awards of up to £30,000 under the People Awards programme. The aim of these awards is to communicate biomedical science to the public, to stimulate thought and debate about biomedical science; and improve understanding of the powers and limitations of science. The funding is available for a maximum of three years and may include workshops; talks; discussions and exhibitions in public venues; arts projects for various audiences and age groups; teaching materials and techniques to encourage wider discussion; and projects that use the collections of the Wellcome Library and Wellcome Collection at the Science Museum.  The next application deadline is the 15th February 2008.http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/node2510.html Unclaimed Assets to be Reinvested in the Community (UK) The Government has published the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Bill. Once passed into law, this will allow money lying dormant in banks and building societies to be reinvested in the community. A dormant bank account has been defined as one where there has been no customer-initiated activity for 15 years. In England the focus for the reinvested money will be on funding youth services, particularly places for young people to go, as well as financial capability, financial inclusion and, resources permitting, social investment. The Bill also enables ministers in the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to determine the distribution priorities in their own areas. The resources will be distributed on a by the BIG Lottery Fund.http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/071114_assets.aspx

Schools Invited to Register their Interest in Playground Partnerships 2008 (UK) Schools within the UK that wish to improve their play spaces are being invited to register their interest in Playground Partnerships 2008. A total of £500,000 is available to fund specific improvements and developments to their play environments. Schools can apply for awards of £1,000, £2,000, £5,000 or £10,000. All schools that are shortlisted will receive at least £250. Schools wishing to apply will first of all need to order the free Playground Partnerships resource pack. To be considered for an award, schools need to submit a folder of work (’portfolio of evidence’) and completed application form (mainstream or special school) by post. Applicants are encouraged to develop;·         a pupil-led approach; ·         involve the whole school; ·         encourage input from the wider school community;·         and include pupils with special educational needs. Previous winners include Maltby Hall Infant School who received a £2,000 award to turn an old nursery garden into a quieter play area, especially for children who have behavioural issues. The deadline for applications will be announced in the near future.http://www.playgroundpartnerships.org/staff-room.php#awardsClore Duffield Performing Arts Awards (UK)

Organisations such as registered charities youth groups, limited companies and schools that wish to undertake activities that enable young people aged 0-18 to experience the performing arts are eligible to apply for funding under the Clore Duffield Performing Arts Awards (formally known as the Clore Duffield Small Grants for Performing Arts Education programme). This is a £1 million programme that will operate between 2005 and 2010. Eligible organisations can apply for funding of between £1,000 and £10,000 for educational projects with under 18s that cover every aspect of the performing arts including opera, dance, music, musical theatre, the spoken word and theatre. The next closing date for applications is the 12th March 2008.http://www.cloreduffield.org.uk/  Jobshadow a Colleague in Europe (UK)Grants of up to €1800 are available for staff involved in school education to job shadow for between one and four weeks in participating European countries. The funding is open to qualified and practising teachers in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, as well as sixth form and further education colleges, trainers, inspectors and advisers, other school staff such as nurses, bursars, caretakers etc. To apply you need to identify the colleague abroad who you wish to job shadow and develop and agree a jobshadow plan with that colleague and their institution. Applications need to be made at least 8 weeks before the job shadowing is to start.  The next application deadline is the 31st January 2008 for activities starting between 1 April 2008 and 30 June 2008.http://www.britishcouncil.org/comenius-job-shadowing.htm  Youth Music Grants (UK)Youth Music the UK-wide charity set up in 1999 to provide high quality and diverse music-making opportunities for 0-18 year old has announced its new funding programmes which will open on the 1st July 2005. Funding is available through three programmes. - First Steps which will fund music-making activities for children aged 0-5. Awards will be between £5,000 and £15,000 for schemes lasting between 6 and 12 months. - Make It Sound; which will fund music-making activities for young people aged 5-18. Awards will be between £10,000 and £30, 000, for projects lasting between 6 and 24 months.- Vocalise!; which will fund singing and vocal activities for young people aged 5-18, with the focus being on those aged 8-14. Awards will be between £5,000 and £20,000, for projects lasting between 6 and 18 months.Applications can be made at any time.http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/looking_for_funding/Open_programmes.jspMake It Happen for Welsh Youth (Wales)Groups and organisations working with young people aged between 10 – 19 can apply for funding of between £500 and £5,000 for projects that have been developed by and are designed to improve the lives of young people. Priority will be given to groups run by disabled young people, groups run by young people from black and minority ethnic background; small groups that have not had Lottery funding before; groups of young people facing particular issues or disadvantage; and projects which promote integration between young people with different experiences or backgrounds. A recent example of a project funded through this programme is a grant of £4,298 to Cardiff YMCA to provide young people from disadvantaged areas with adventure activities such as surfing, canoeing, abseiling and quad biking. An application from a school or statutory youth club will have to show that the activity is beyond those that normally go on within the school or club. The programme is open until 2008 and applications can be made at any time.

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_make_it_happen.htm?regioncode=-uk&progStatus=open&status=theProg&title=YPF:%20Make%20it%20happen

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Google Grants UK - free advertising

11/12/2007 by admin.

The Google Grants UK beta programme supports organisations sharing their philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts.

Designed for UK charities which meet their requirements and are
registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales or the
Inland Revenue, Google Grants is a unique free advertising programme. It
harnesses the power of their advertising product, Google AdWords, to
non-profits seeking to inform and engage their constituents online.

Google Grants has given AdWords advertising to hundreds of qualified
non-profit groups whose missions range from animal welfare to literacy,
from supporting homeless children to promoting HIV education.Google Grant recipients use their award of free AdWords advertising on Google.co.uk to raise awareness and increase traffic. Three of our award recipients have achieved these results:
• Room to Read, which educates children in Vietnam, Nepal, India and Cambodia, attracted a sponsor who clicked on its AdWords ad. He has donated funds to support the education of 25 girls for the next 10 years
• The US Fund for UNICEF’s e-commerce site, Shop UNICEF, has experienced a 43 percent increase in sales over the previous year
• CoachArt, supporting children with life-threatening illnesses through art and athletics programs, has seen a 60 to 70 percent increase in volunteers

Each organisation choosing to participate in Google Grants receives ateast three months of free advertising.

Website: www.google.co.uk/grants/
Email: GoogleGrants-UK@google.com

Eddy Jackson
07809233688
www.cyrene.co.uk
www.communicationuk.com

Posted in Fundraising Portals, Charity Fund Raising, charities | No Comments »

Grant Schemes : : Health Care : : Social Enterprises

09/12/2007 by admin.

James Tudor Foundation
The Foundation was established to support the relief of sickness and makes grants in pursuit of this. Grants are made in six programme areas to smaller (registered) charities that have been established for at least two years: Palliative care • Medical research • Health education, awards and scholarship • The direct relief of sickness • The UK private healthcare sector • The fulfilment of the Foundation’s charitable objects by other means.
Applications can be submitted at anytime. Further Information WestPoint, 78 Queens Road, Bristol, BS8 1QX; Tel: 0117 985 8715; Email: admin@jamestudor.org.uk; Internet: www.jamestudor.org.uk
Funding to Develop the Sustainability of Young Social Enterprises
The Adventure Capital Fund (ACF) has announced that it is accepting applications under itsBusiness Development Grant scheme. The ACF offers a range of investments and support to develop stable and sustainable community based enterprises. Under the Business Development Grant scheme, funding of up to £15,000 is available to support community enterprises in their early stages of development by developing their skills and capacity. The aim is to improve their investment readiness and sustainability. The Adventure Capital Fund expects to make around 30 Business Development Grants a year to be distributed on a rolling basis. Approximately 3 or 4 grants will be made in each English region. Eligible costs could include: technical assistance and advice, legal or other fees relating to building purchase or development, business planning, training, feasibility studies, market research or product development. To be eligible for funding, organisations need to serve one or more clear communities - of place, interest or identity; be established within the community that they seek to serve and have members of that community involved in and represented in the management and decision-making processes; and be looking to use entrepreneurial methods to achieve social goals. Applications to the Business Development Grant scheme can
be made at any time. http://www.adventurecapitalfund.org.uk/content/view/36/50/
2007 Lottery Awards
Now in their fourth year, the Awards aim to recognise the difference that Lottery-funded projects of all sizes make to local communities and celebrate the achievements of the people behind them. This year, winning projects will receive a £2,000 prize to spend on their project, and will also have their achievements highlighted on a special BBC Lottery programme in September. The Awards are in seven categories: Sport; Heritage; Arts; Environment; Voluntary/Charity; Health and Education.
The deadline for nominations is 27 April. Further information: Tel: 0845 130 4133; Internet: www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards/

Eddy Jackson
07809233688
www.cyrene.co.uk
www.communicationuk.com

Posted in Fundraising Portals, Community Funding Agencies | No Comments »

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