Parting Shot

The great end of life is not knowledge but action. What men need is as much knowledge as they can organize for action; give them more and it may become injurious. Some men are heavy and stupid from undigested learning.'

Thomas Huxley  (1825-1895)

Skills for the future-Applications Now Open...

So, if you're maybe developing some kind of intermediate labour market opportunity, maybe you are a social enterprise and you're renovating and re-interpreting your water mill as part of a community regeneration project this looks like it'd be good to look into--

Skills for the Future is a £5 million targeted grants programme to support organisations across the UK to create new opportunities for work-based training in the heritage sector.  It is hoped that the programme will make an important contribution to helping the heritage sector prepare for, and play a role in, the post-recession economy.
Skills for the Future aims to fund projects which provide paid work-based training placements to meet a skills gap in the heritage sector and which fully support trainees to learn practical skills.  Grants will be given to organisations or partnerships to plan and deliver a new training programme for a specified number of trainees.  Typically, these programmes will provide trainees with an individual plan and enable them to work alongside one or more experienced heritage professionals in the work place.
The types of skills to be encouraged by this initiative include, for example:

• skills to plan, manage and deliver learning programmes for a variety of different audiences;
• community engagement skills, for example, the skills needed to work with under-represented audiences in heritage;
• volunteer management skills in heritage settings;
• interpretation skills, for example, to create engaging and accessible exhibitions;
• skills to manage the impacts climate change will have on heritage or to reduce the carbon footprint of heritage assets;
• skills to use digital technology in heritage conservation, learning or participation.

Sector-specific skills will also be supported.
Grants of between £100,000 and £1 million are available.  Supported projects will normally last for up to four years, with some extending to five years, and will provide for training placements of between three and 18 months long.
Applications are welcomed from single organisations and partnerships in the UK.  Priority is given to not-for-profit organisations and partnerships.  Partnerships might be drawn from organisations whose main purpose is to conserve or engage people with heritage; third sector organisations; Sector Skills Councils or local authorities; professional bodies; learning and training providers; private sector companies, for example, those specialising in conservation.
The deadline for the receipt of applications is 19 March 2010.

Web Ref is: http://www.hlf.org.uk/

Impact Measurement-Trial for charities and third sector

GuideStar UK seeks partners to trial impact-measurement

Charity information service GuideStar UK is looking for partners to help it develop a comprehensive impact-reporting and benchmarking system.

Les Hems, director of third sector data and analysis at GuideStar UK, is seeking funding to run a pilot benchmarking project that would enable third sector organisations to compare performance and improve efficiency.

Hems aims to divide third sector organisations into categories using criteria such as objectives, geographical location, assets, size, income streams and staff profiles, and to provide data based on a number of metrics.

"We'd like to run a pilot scheme with a small, sub-sector umbrella organisation," he said. "We'd collect data from their members. If that worked, we'd expand the concept to other sub-sectors."
He said the system, which organisations would have to pay for, would let charities compare themselves with other organisations and make judgements about where they could improve efficiency.
"You could compare yourself to other campaigning organisations, or other organisations in the same region, or other organisations with incomes of more than £2m, or all of those, and measure your comparative fundraising ratios or staff costs," he said.
"The system would allow organisations to report on their impact in a more meaningful way and enable funders to target the organisations where they could do the most good for charities. Too much social return on investment tends to be judged on a case-by-case basis. We would like to change that by developing standards by which the entire market can be judged."

Social Enterprise Blog Specials

UnLtd World, the networking website for social entrepreneurs, will host a guest blog from a figure in the world of social enterprise every day until the end of November. Among the organisations that will be represented are the British Library, One Water and Divine Chocolate.

Phone a Friend?

It is your money after all and you can spend it how you like. But I was struck the other day by the turn of conversation at a Funding Surgery 'up North'.

We were chatting to one group about the funding available for their community building and how we can help them develop their application form. That is what we're here for afterall. I was told, 'No don't worry, we have someone who can help us do this.' This is fair enough I suppose. Come Monday morning I have message on my desk form the consultant who they infact went on to hire to help them develop their application form asking can I help him! Seems skewed to me.

Engagement Gateway...New Deadline

Engagement Gateway & Intermediate Labour Market Schemes: New Deadline for Organisations to Tender for Contracts


The Engagement Gateway Scheme and the Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) Scheme  have re-opened their approved supplier lists  providing a second opportunity for organisations to become eligible to tender for contracts in Convergence areas of Wales. POwys remains of course within the Competitive region and its date will be announced in due course. If  a Powys agency was looking to deliver contracts in a convergence area then this given date is relevant.


The schemes, backed by over £50 million of European and Welsh Assembly Government funding, aim to tackle economic inactivity by investing in organisations that give people facing barriers to employment the skills and opportunities to get back into work.


The Gateway and ILM schemes, first launched at the end of 2008, and are now issuing tender opportunities of up to £150,000 and £300,000 respectively.


The schemes aim to move different economically inactive groups towards employment through the support of contracted organisations.  Organisations contracted under the Gateway will be expected to develop the skills and confidence of target groups and link progress to a 'next step' such as a referral to another project, volunteering, training, supported or non-supported employment.


The ILM scheme requires organisations to offer on-the-job training and support to target groups via a period of supported employment.


Contracts will be granted through a tendering process to deliver projects throughout Wales.  Organisations may be operating in the public, private or third sector.


To join the approved supplier lists, organisations will need to complete and submit a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) by 1pm on Friday 29 January 2010.




http://www.wcva.org.uk/

Money Available Still for Communities First areas...

Funding Still Available from the Communities First Trust Fund !!!!!!

Just a reminder that there is still funding available via the Communities First Trust Fund for 2009/2010 and with the deadline for applications fast approaching, its advisable to get any applications you are working on with groups in sooner rather than later.

Remember:

• If you want any help or advise on completing the applications, please contact any member of the CFTF team on 0800 587 8898 who will more than happy to help you.
• Groups cannot apply for the same / similar items or an identical project previously having received funding from the Trust Fund
• The deadline for applications is Friday 29 January 2010. – BUT completed application packs will be given priority and applications are processed on a first come first serve basis.
• Don’t let the CFTF allocation of funding for your ward end up in an underpsend which could be utilised by other areas. !!!

For any queries, please contact us on 0800 587 8898 or help@wcva.org.uk

Funding For Credit Unions etc._Imminent Deadline

As part of it's work to try to re-balance the financial services market, the Friends Provident Foundation wishes to create conditions throughout the UK under which access to appropriate financial services might be permanently improved for those who are currently excluded, particularly those on low incomes or otherwise vulnerable to market failure.
Judgements will be made on the scope of the proposed work, rather than on the amounts required, but the Foundation does not expect to make financial commitments over £200,000 in cash terms.  The Foundation is willing to consider requests for loans, part-loans, underwriting, or other forms of financial support, in addition to grant funding.
Applications from any type of legally independent organisation within the UK, provided its work is legally charitable, will be considered.
Projects must contribute towards the achievement of the following specified outcomes:

• Shared vision.
• Universal banking access.
• Sustainable approaches to funding debt advice.
• Increasing savings.
• Clarification of the role of affordable credit.
• Sustaining the progress.

The next deadline for application is 13 November 2009.
See:  http://www.friendsprovidentfoundation.org

Wallace & Gromit

The Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation raises money to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK.
Grants are available for projects which are not directly funded by the NHS and enrich and enhance the lives of patients in hospitals and hospices in regional centres throughout the country.
Applications are welcomed from registered charities in the UK and preference will be given to projects conceived by and in children's hospitals and hospices.
The deadline for applications is 7 December 2009.

Procurement Made Easy...

I doubt that it is quite that. But this new guide produced by NCVO and NAVCA  looks like it should be essential reading for anyone considering tendering for contract-and there were quite a few at the PAVO's Grants Fit For Funding training session the other week so click here

Climate Change Grant Fund - Open to Applications

The third sector in Wales is being encouraged to lead the way in tackling climate change through this new scheme.  The Climate Change Grant Fund aims to help educate, inform and enable those wishing to lower the contribution of their community, organisation or group to climate change.


Grants of between £200 and £2,000, covering up to 100% of project costs are available to notfor-profit organisations that have not yet worked to combat climate change.  Examples of the types of projects and activities that could be funded include:

•    climate change awareness raising initiatives;
•    encouraging positive behaviour change amongst individuals and communities;
•    exploring and planning for the future impacts of climate change on the applicant organisation's activities and those it represents;
•    establishing links with other organisations/groups that have an established climate change remit;
•    learning from good practice/training; and
•    testing the feasibility of new ideas or new ways of working.

No website yet, but I guess it will be WAG-watch this space...


The deadline for receipt of applications is 1 March 2010.

Test Post

Yes, you who are among us...you can subscribe to updates via traditionla 'email' updates and this is a test to see how it looks and works....it's only  a test

Community Asset Transfer Fund

Launch of the Community Asset Transfer Fund for Public and Third Sector Organisations in Wales


From 27th October the Big Lottery Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government have opened to applications a new funding programme, providing capital and revenue grants to support the transfer of assets from public sector organisations to community ownership.


Through Community Asset Transfer Fund (CAT), up to £13 million will be invested in communities, helping them transfer, develop, manage, and sustain assets, such as land or buildings, thereby improving neighbourhoods and people's livelihoods.  The primary aim of the programme is to help communities become stronger and more sustainable.


Grants will be awarded up to the value of £800,000, including a combination of both capital and revenue costs.  Revenue grants range from £50,000 to £300,000 and capital grants range from £250,000 to £500,000.


Assets transferred from public sector bodies will be passed to enterprising organisations that actively involve and benefit the communities they serve, for example, those working towards improving the services and/or facilities.  Applications must be from cross-sector partnerships containing third sector organisations.  They must include at least one third sector organisation and one public sector organisation.


The CAT programme will be delivered via three competitive funding rounds.  Round 1 will comprise a Fast-track round, which has been introduced to enable early investment in projects that are fully developed and ready to start work immediately.  It is anticipated that rounds 2 and 3 will be launched during 2010.


The deadline for receipt of Round 1 applications, by Expression of Interest, is 4 December 2009.

Another short notice deadline but....

Learning Promotion Grants

Closing Date Friday 6^th November (for an event planned for the December /January Your, Your Choice, Your Action Campaign).

The closing date for the next round of Learning Promotion Grants is fast approaching, so if you have an idea for an event or a free taster course get your application in now!

You can apply for a grant of up to £1,000 to help:

·         Promote participation in learning.

·         Increase access to information, advice and guidance.

·         Facilitate the organisation of bite-size taster sessions

As a condition of the grant, all successful applicants must attend at least one of their county's Learning Festival Planning Group meetings (details will be supplied). Failure to do so may result in loss of the grant. Attendance at these meetings will facilitate even better support for you event.

If your organisation is already part of a Learning Festival Planning group you may still apply but, as direct funding to these groups is being increased this year, your application will be labeled as a lower priority than one from an organisation new to NIACE Dysgu Cymru's campaigns.

All applications are considered by our independent selection panel.

Apply for a grant here

and download the simple application form.

This is a Test Post

This is a test post. I am having a go with Mail Chimp. Looks okay so far. But for everything is set to eastern time (USA) thus 6 am today is 10 am GMT. But you get 3000 mailouts with a subsciber list of 500. Beyond that it costs ya. Should you check it out? I'll let you know http://www.mailchimp.com/

Intelligent Giving

So which charity will you donate to? Mostly your decisions might be informed by personal circumstances. But here's a useful site that can help you quickly get the spec on charities-mostly well known and I haven't checked yet to see if you are there...

I guess the flip side is how do we as charities in Powys-or third sector organisations present what we do, the impact that we have and why you should support us.

This is increasingly of interest when we think about avoiding duplication and building-up joint working-as per a previous post.

Community Radio Stations-Funding

Here's some funding  for your community radio station. Actually, if there are no community stations in Powys let's set one up! See here http://tinyurl.com/yjd4eto


Community radio stations are not-for-profit stations with a social purpose, and work to involve the target community in running the service.  This Fund helps support the core costs of running a community radio station, eg:

• management;
• administration;
• financial management and reporting;
• fundraising to support the station (grants and commercial funding); community outreach; and
• volunteer organisation and support.

The Fund has up to £500,000 per annum to support applications and there is no limit to how much can be applied for.

Only community radio licensees are eligible to apply.
The second 2009 round for applications opened on 13 October and will close 10 November 2009.

Carnegie UK Trust -Rural Communities-What Future?

 Slightly off topic from 'funding' but surely of interest to you?

Creating Resilient Rural Communities

will take place in Tipperary
Institute, Thurles, Republic of Ireland, on Wednesday 28th and Thursday
29th October 2009.

http://tinyurl.com/yhhfv8n


 Ceiliúradh is open to anyone interested in exploring the challenge faced
by communities in the current economic environment and identifying
solutions that will work.


·         How can our communities plan for the future?

·         How can we benefit from local food?

·         What about building local economies?



These are just some of the topics that will be discussed over this two day
annual event.


This year's Ceiliúradh is a time when thinkers, doers and communities will
gather together to explore new ideas about how we want to live and if we
want to move towards a healthy and positive future.  Tipperary Institute
is delighted to welcome a diverse range of national and international
guests such as Marian Harkin MEP, Rob Hopkins (Transition Town Movement),
Chris Piennar from New Economics Foundation and many others.

The Ceiliúradh programme and booking form is attached along with the
detail of the programme. Registration includes a networking dinner
featuring food from local producers on Wednesday 28th. Concessions are
also available and an accommodation list is attached.

To register, please print out the brochure, fill in your details and mail
with payment to Ceiliúradh 2009, Tipperary Institute, Rural Development
Dept, Nenagh Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. The link to pay online using a
credit card is here: http://payments.tippinst.ie. Please include the
credit card payment receipt number on your booking form.

We are looking forward to meeting you at this event and do feel free to
pass this email on to your own contact list.


Catherine Corcoran & Bridget Kirwan

The Ceiliúradh Team

For further information:

By email: Una Johnston at <events@tippinst.ieevents@tippinst.ie>>
By phone: Edel O'Grady at 0504 28117

This Project is supported by the Carnegie UK Trust

Joint Working-New Opportunities to Generate Income

Gareth Coles' presentation at WCVA Third Sector Conference was also another useful one for me. Essentially the session looked at the obstacles and benefits for Thrird Sector Groups-I think I heard Gareth say voluntary and community groups, was that  a slip of the tongue or wishful thinking-to collaborate and possibly even merger.

At the close of the session we did touch on the nuance that appears to be emerging that only those organisations which do collaborate and work far more closely are deserving of financial support and effectively public approval-I guess the same thing. Some of this is to do with perceptions of charities (and Joe Saxton's speech also was useful-though I am dubious about his being billed as a 'driver of ideas', sheesh, not good...).

But Gareth picked up a good few examples such as Marie Cure whose expertise in providing palliative care for cancer patients was brought to use with recuperative British Heart Foundation patients.  How could they do this? By checking their governing document which allowed them to care for cancer patients and those experiencing other serious illnesses.

So, at least, check your governing document-are you doing in any case what it says? Could you in fact be doing something else?

I'll get around to putting the collaborative toolkit resources on Delicious-look for collaboration tag.

But the key message at the end was perhaps the expectation in the future will be why you are not collaborating (or merging) with other third sector groups?

This is an interesting proposition when you think of the sheer number of voluntary organisations active or based in Powys:

• the total number of voluntary organisations active in Powys is 3607 (the largest of any area in Wales)
• the total number of voluntary organisations based in Powys is 2127 (the 3rd largest in Wales after Carmarthenshire and Cardiff)

(see: http://tinyurl.com/yc75nck)



If you're not collaborating closely and you have a good reason then fine. But if you could? And the heading photo is of course from the 'Mad' Hatter's party...

Schmooze Better

WCVA Third Sector Funding Conference-7.10.09,Liberty Park Swansea

Expected this one to be yet another  bloated event but in fact it turned up some useful stuff.

Perhaps for me (surprisingly) the material in the morning about Tendering and Procurement was best. Dawn from Review My Tender helped us get into the mindset of procurement officers and whittled down to the most salient stuff-get the marketing right in the year up to the time you're going to be putting in a tender. Make sure you've built up a relationship with the lead commissioning officer responsible for your activity (you have double checked your'e speaking to the right person?).

Don't hassle them about you getting 'that' tender. But do invite them to say a celebration event or social event your charity is putting on-as a guest not a speaker.  By doing this sort of thing you can show them that you are an 'industry expert' in your field. 

A good analogy for this approach is the budding author trying to get their book published. You want to get out of the slush pile,right? So in the year before you are likely to be going for a tender do everything to promote yourself-send succinct and evidence based (not reams of info) leaflets-say twice a year-don't bombard them.

You want to do everything you can to make it so that when theyre wading through al the tenders, they recognise your logo,know you stand for a quality tender from a leading light in your niche industry and at they should then at least look with a good expectation (in their heart?) at your tender.

The most important thing then is to get your schmoozing right. And Dawn said you'd be doing well if you could get 2 sessions a year lasting 15 minutes with your lead procurement officer. Use that 15 mins to make your pitch.

Dawn's website is ReviewMy Tender

Computers-Yay!

Spent five minutes forwarding info to Brecon's Take Part re. BT in the Community and they scored themselves a free laptop and broadband website (fr one year)-good on 'em for trying; so was pleased to see that BT are offering the same again...

BT Community Connections Awards

Is your organisation currently looking for IT equipment or wanting to get online? If so, you can apply for a BT Community Connections Award.
The scheme enables community and charitable organisations to get online - groups can apply for a laptop and a year’s free broadband connection. Award packages will be given to groups who can demonstrate how an award will benefit their work and the local community.
Visit www.btcommunityconnections.com by 7 January 2010.

10 STEPS TO CREATING A LOCAL FOOD GROUP

Tamzin Pinkerton & Rob Hopkins's new book, Local Food, is an indispensable guide for anyone interested in
creating a local food group. The book explores all elements of setting up a local food group from project scoping
and identifying an initial group, to networking and promoting your project. To find out more, including the
authors’ top ten tips, visit the link below.
http://tinyurl.com/yaf6tbo

Credit Unions-One for You?

 Or for anyone developing small scale financial literacy programmes, see here: http://tinyurl.com/ybs4t7x


Grants of up to £5,000 arevailable for group projects such as self-help groups, workshops and other innovative schemes that seek to educate people about money/debt/consumer issues.
The deadline for the next round of group applications is 30 November 2009 and applications for support for individual courses is 15 December 2009.

The MSE Charity aims to fight financial and consumer illiteracy and is dedicated to educating and informing adults and children about consumer and debt issues.

Individuals resident in the United Kingdom over the age of 18 can apply for a grant of up to £500 to help pay towards a recognised and approved course that will help improve their ability to budget and manage their finances.  The grant can be used to pay for financial education course fees and other associated expenses.

 

Baring Arts Deadline-Work with Arts and Older People?

Another short deadline looms-11 December is the time if you want to go for Baring Arts grant programme.

The stream is for groups in the  United Kingdom that are enabling older people to benefit from participating in arts practice.


Annual grants of up to £25,000 for three years are available, although the size of grant will depend on the annual expenditure of the applicant organisation in 2008/9.


Applications are welcomed from constituted, not-for-profit arts organisations in the United Kingdom that are already producing and presenting arts made by older people.





Here's their website http://tinyurl.com/ye2h74j

And here is a link to their funding guidelines http://tinyurl.com/ye2h74j

I can think of a couple of groups out in Powys who should be looking at this! Let me know if you see this and you would like any support.

Giving 2009

UK Giving 2009: an overview of charitable giving in the UK, 2008/09 launches 23^rd September.  It is the latest report in the UK Giving series produced jointly by CAF and NCVO. 
This annual publication provides an overview of the latest estimates and long-term trends in individual charitable giving. 

• 54% of adults donate in an average month, down from 56% in 2007/08
• the median monthly donation is £10 per month
• cash is still the most popular method for giving
• individuals donated £9.9 billion to charity, down 11% from 2007/08 

To download the report for free or to find out more visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/research/giving or www.cafonline.org/ukgiving.

Low Carbon Communities Challenge

 Early Registration Required...28th October...

 

The Government has today launched the £10 million Low Carbon Communities Challenge - a two-year programme which will allow communities to build on existing low carbon schemes.
The Challenge will cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and offers the chance to be in the forefront of moving to a low carbon economy.  Twenty successful communities will each receive support of up to £500,000 to pay for measures selected by the local residents themselves.  These could range from a local biomass plant to electric car charge points.

In return for technical and financial assistance, people living and working in the area will work alongside government and contribute to finding low carbon solutions from which the whole country will benefit.  The twenty communities will act as national blueprints that will be used to inform government policy development and delivery, and pave the way for a national roll-out of proven measures.

For towns to be eligible they must demonstrate they are already making changes and are committed to developing both infrastructure and behaviour change that results in carbon reduction such as wind farms, electric car infrastructure or home energy refurbishments.  A specialist support squad made up of partners with funding and expertise from inside and outside government, including The Energy Saving Trust, The Carbon Trust, WRAP and the third sector, will work together with each community to offer help on anything from negotiating in planning debates to identifying personalised low carbon answers.

The Challenge is seeking a broad 40:60 split between ‘first mover’ communities – already recognised as exemplars for their carbon reduction plans – and ‘second movers’, with less experience but clear intentions and emerging plans of action for cutting carbon emissions and increasing sustainability.  Half of the total funding, £5 million, must be spent within this financial year, and the remaining £5 million within the next financial year.  Therefore, funding for this financial year will target approximately eight ‘first mover’ exemplars that are in a position to submit funding applications immediately.  This group will already have a track record in developing integrated plans.  This will give more time for the (approximately 12) ‘second mover’ communities to develop their plans for funding in the next financial year (2010/2011).  Since this group is likely to be larger, they are likely to get a slightly smaller share of the overall funding.
The deadlines for applications to the two phases are as follows:

• Phase 1 deadline: 27 November 2009.
• Phase 2 deadline: 30 December 2009.

All applicants are requested to register their interest by noon on 28 October 2009.
The Challenge is scheduled to start in February 2010 with a series of workshops.

See http://tinyurl.com/ydd9nfm

Free Funding Support

PAVO funding service hits the road again with some tasty funding surgeries and even funding lunches-yum! Book a place or turn up on spec for help: which funding is right for you? look through an applicaiton form together. Explore social enterprise?  It's your call.

Dates for your diary are:

Monday 5th October 10-1.00, Ystradgynlais Volunteer Centre
Monday 12th October 12-2pm, The Tower Cafe, St Mary's Church,Brecon
Monday 26th October 12-2pm, The Exchange, Newtown

For booking and info call PAVO on 01597 822191 or email info 'at' pavo.org.uk

Have you taken your funding M.O.T yet?

PAVO’s funding MOT will help you get your voluntary group into a roadworthy condition and fit for funding.

Competition for funding is at a record high. But getting informed expert help shouldn’t cost you anything.

As part of this free service to PAVO members we can ensure that you get access to the best information and practice.

The funding MOT will help your group succeed. We can work with you to develop a:

· Funding strategy
· Develop New streams of Income
· Explore Social Enterprise
· Adopt good organisational structure

The M.O.T will take place over half a day and can take place in your locality. If you’d like to book a session or have more information on the MOT please call PAVO on 01597 822191 or email dafydd.roberts@pavo.org.uk

Funding Surgeries and Funders Latest News

It's been awhile since the last blog posting.
So here is a slew of info about funding.

Funding Surgeries

Pavo is holding funding surgeries across the county in September. If you’d like some advice on funding for your group then call Pavo to book your place.

Monday 14^th September, 10.30-1.00, Ystradgynlais Volunteer Centre

Wednesday 16^th September, 10.30-1.00, Llandrindod Wells Volunteer Bureau

For booking and information telephone Dafydd Roberts, 01597 822191

dafydd.roberts@pavo.org.uk

If you’d like us to come and do a funding surgery or workshop in your neighborhood just let us know!

Funding:

New Lloyds TSB Foundation funding available through Young Offenders Programme

Charities must apply by 25 September

Charities that work with young offenders will be able to apply to a new £1m fund from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England and Wales.

The foundation's Young Offenders Programme is open to local, regional and national charities of any size that have a proven track record of working successfully with young offenders in areas including accommodation, skills training, drugs and alcohol and employment mentoring.

A spokeswoman for the foundation said there was no lower or upper limit on the value of the grants and that the funding would last for up to three years, with no lower limit.

The deadline for applications to the fund is 25 September.

Lloyds TSB's four foundations -- England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands -- distribute one per cent of the bank's pre-tax profits each financial year.

The England and Wales branch gave out £8.5m between January and June this year.

Linda Kelly, chief executive of the foundation, told Third Sector: "Following an in-depth evaluation of our ex-prisoners funding over the last three years, we identified a pressing need to support work to break the cycle of reoffending among younger prisoners.

"Our new programme aims to support charities that can deliver measurable changes and benefits to improve young offenders' life choices and chances.

Community asset transfer fund established

Welsh Assembly and Big Lottery Fund pledge money to help charities acquire public buildings

The Welsh Assembly and the Big Lottery Fund have set up a £13m fund to help Welsh community groups acquire public buildings and develop them to suit their needs.

"There are many public assets in Wales that are not being used to their full potential, and empowering the community to use these buildings to suit their needs is the main aim of this initiative," said Leighton Andrews, deputy minister for regeneration. "This is a win-win situation."

He said the programme would regenerate disused buildings and provide new facilities for third sector organisations.

Funding to acquire the buildings will come from the Welsh Assembly Government, and the money to develop them will come from the BLF, which will also process the applications. Organisations will be able to apply for cash from mid-October.

Welsh loan fund to help charities bid for contracts

Invest to Serve aims to help charities grow

A new £6m fund to provide loans for charities in Wales to bid for public sector contracts and develop their services has been announced.

The Invest to Serve fund will be made up of contributions of £1m each from the Welsh Assembly Government, the Welsh Council for Voluntary Action and Unity Trust Bank.

The Welsh European Funding Office is likely to contribute £3m, a spokeswoman for the Welsh Assembly Government said, although the figure is still to be confirmed.

The spokeswoman said the fund would provide three-year loans at interest rates lower than those on the open market, but most of the finer details are yet to be decided.

It is unclear what the interest rate on the loans would be and the upper and lower limits on the value of the loans have not yet been decided.

Brian Gibbons, Minister for Social Justice, said the fund would make third sector organisations more sustainable. He said it would enable them to provide services for the public sector at lower rates than they would otherwise be able to offer.

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Assembly Government said the opening date for applications to the fund had not yet been confirmed.

Media Trust announces new Mix Mediabox fund for youth-led projects

Government grants on offer for schemes that bring different groups together

Communications charity the Media Trust has opened a new £1.2m fund for charities and community groups to set up youth-led media projects.

The Mix Mediabox will offer grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to groups setting up projects in which 13 to-19-year-olds explore community cohesion. The total value of the fund is £1,240,000.

A Media Trust spokeswoman said the fund, run in partnership with the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Communities and Local Government department, was particularly looking to support projects that brought young people from diverse ethnic and economic backgrounds together.

She said the Media Trust was encouraging applications from east and north-east England and Yorkshire and Humberside, which had been underrepresented in previous rounds of funding applications.

The fund is open for applications and the deadline is 21 September.

Charities, trusts and local authorities can apply for grants from the scheme, which is delivered by a consortium led by the trust and First Light Movies in partnership with Skillset and the UK Film Council

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation offers new grant funding

Charities working with prisoners and ex-offenders can apply

Charities that work with prisoners and ex-offenders with mental health problems are being invited to apply for funding from the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation's new £600,000 themed grant programme.

The three-year programme will award £200,000 a year. Judith Leigh, grants manager at the foundation, said the maximum award was likely to be about £50,000 a year, although no limit had been set.

The foundation, which distributes £2m each year, supported projects that helped older people in rural areas in its last themed grant programme.

Leigh said the foundation chose its new theme because about 70 per cent of prisoners had mental health issues.

"We want to support projects with proven track records and with innovative approaches that aim to reduce this figure," she said.

"We will be particularly interested in projects that can provide seamless support on both sides of the walls, because released prisoners can all too easily drift back into the behaviour that took them to prison in the first place."

For more information, call Judith Leigh on 020 7264 4991 or email her at jl@trusthousecharitablefoundation.org.uk.

New Sustainable Development Programme to be Launched for Recycling Organisations in Wales


The Charity Bank in Wales is working with Cylch, the Wales Community Recycling Network, to deliver a new package of finance and support. Later this year, a programme will be launched, enabling Cylch members to aid sustainable development in the waste minimisation, re-use, recycling, composting and materials reprocessing sectors.


A range of support will be made available through the new programme, from investment readiness, seed grants and patient capital to working capital and longer term loans and asset finance. Members wishing to access support to aid their transition to self sustaining social enterprises will be encouraged to make the case for their needs and to demonstrate a sustainable way forward for their enterprise.


Grant aided support may be available, initially in the form of training and consultancy, for organisations and individual officers and/or trustees to assist their readiness to apply to the programme for appropriate forms of finance.


Whilst not specifically designed as a recession fund, it may be used to help third sector organisations in distress, subject to meeting the appropriate eligibility criteria. In order to establish eligibility for the programme, initial enquiries should be made by e-mail to finance@cylch.org.uk

Forestry Commission Wales Launches the Wood Energy Business Scheme 2 (WEBS 2)


The Wood Energy Business Scheme 2 (WEBS 2) is a new multi-million capital grant scheme for Wales, which draws down its funding from the European Regional Development Fund, and will run until 2013.

WEBS 2 will build upon the achievements of WEBS Objective 1 and 2 (2004-2008). Its prime aim is to provide capital grant support to micro businesses, SMEs and social enterprises to further develop the sustainable and renewable wood heat market across Wales.

The scheme will help businesses to install wood fuel heating and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technologies. Over its lifetime, it will ensure the wood heat and energy sector in Wales develops into a "mature market", supported by an established supply of wood fuel and boiler installation and maintenance businesses.


Grants will be provided in order to:


invest in clean, renewable wood fuel heating and CHP technology;
develop high quality equipment and fuel supply chains;
build skills and experience in installing and maintaining wood fuel heat and power technology; and
develop new products, eg new heating boilers or energy supply services.


No minimum or maximum grant amounts are stipulated; however, total eligible costs are likely to be funded at a maximum of 50%.

The project will deliver across both the Convergence and Competitiveness areas of Wales, making this a pan-Wales project.


Applications may be submitted at any time.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk

Impetus Trust - Reducing Re-offending Fund - Notice of Imminent Deadline (UK)


The Impetus Trust has launched the Reducing Re-offending Fund which has an imminent deadline for applications.


The Impetus Trust: Reducing Re-offending Fund is a collaboration between Impetus Trust, Indigo Trust, the Esme Fairbairn Foundation and the Henry Smith Charity, with the aim of making a significant impact on the high level of re-offending in the UK.


The Trust has initially raised £1.3 million of funding that will be made available to between three to six charities in the UK over a three-to-four year period.


Over the next six months, the Fund will be looking for organisations within the criminal justice sector that tackle re-offending and that have ambitions to transform their impact. Selected organisations will receive a combined package of unrestricted funding and tailored capacity-building support from the Impetus Investment Team and a network of consultants and advisors.


The Fund is able to support a very limited number of organisations, so substantial screening, assessment and due diligence will be undertaken before making a final decision to invest.


The deadline for applications is 15 September 2009.

http://www.impetus.org.uk

General:

Big Issue Invest secures cash for social investment fund

Nesta and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation pledge support

A social investment fund set up by Big Issue Invest has received £1m in investment from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts and £750,000 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

The fund, which was announced in April, will provide long-term capital to social enterprises. It will make between 25 and 30 investments of between £100,000 and £500,000, with an expected average term of five years.

Nigel Kershaw, chief executive of Big Issue Invest, said the Nesta investment was the second largest it had received so far and that several other substantial investors were interested.

"We're hoping to raise more than the £10m we originally aimed at," he said.

Jonathan Kestenbaum, chief executive of Nesta, said he believed that social enterprises could support problems that had been "unresponsive to conventional solutions" and traditionally required taxpayers' cash to solve.

"Our social finance programme is showing how catalytic investment such as this can create lasting change," he said.

Cancer Research UK leads the way on legacies

Charity makes twice as much as the next highest earner, according to Charity Market Monitor report

Cancer Research UK is the highest earner of legacy income, according to research based on charities' most recent accounts.

The most recent Charity Market Monitor report, compiled by Cathy Pharoah of Cass Business School for Caritas Data, showed that the charity received £147.88m from legacies in 2007//08.

Cancer Research UK received more than half as much again as the next highest earner, the RNLI, which received £94.50m. The third highest earner was the RSPCA, with £63.13m.

The research found that legacies were an important and growing source of income for the top 300 fundraising charities, which saw their income grow by 8 per cent in real terms compared with the previous year to £1.35bn.

Legacies made up 26 per cent of the top 300's total fundraising income, and 183 of them reported significant income from legacies.

However, the report suggested that the effects of the recession on house and share prices were not reflected in charities' most recent accounts because of the time lag involved in converting legacies into cash.

"Legacies now represent about a quarter of the fundraised income of the largest fundraising charities, and are central to their major gift fundraising success," the report said. "This means that charities are particularly anxious about fall-out from the recession on legacy values."

The report also showed that legacy income was already falling for charities outside the top 300.

"Legacy income in the rest of the sector is already either static or has declined in value," the report said. "A broader sample shows that the growth in income from legacies among the top 1,300 charities was just 5.3 per cent over the years 2003 to 2007."

Top 10 Legacy earners

Cancer Research UK – £147.88m

RNLI – £94.50m

RSPCA – £63.13m

The National Trust – £57.79m

British Heart Foundation – £49.79m

Macmillan Cancer Support – £40.92m

The Salvation Army Trust – £40.83m

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association – £39.04m

PDSA – £36.42m

RNIB – £33.57m

Charities wanted for community shares project

Co-operatives UK seeks volunteers to try new investment model

A research project looking at how community organisations can raise money by issuing shares and bonds to the public is looking for five organisations to act as case studies.

The research project, being run by Co-operatives UK together with the Development Trusts Association and the Social Return on Investment Network, will provide consultancy and funding in exchange for the opportunity to monitor a group as it raises money from the community.

Hugh Rolo, head of assets and investment at the DTA, said the success of community share issues in the past showed people's enthusiasm for investing in something tangible.

"We are already supporting five community enterprises, one of which has successfully completed a community share offer to rescue a village store," he said.

"Round two of this programme will allow us to work with more enterprises and demonstrate the huge potential of using community investment to raise capital for local projects."

Organisations must be intending to raise at least £10,000 for a community project, by issuing shares or bonds to at least 20 people. Applications are available at www.communityshares.org.uk/findoutmore. The deadline for applications is 21 September.

Youth Volunteering

Launch of the GwirVol International Youth Volunteering Grant Scheme with Imminent Deadline


The GwirVol International Youth Volunteering Grant Scheme aims to support opportunities for young people in disadvantaged and minority communities in Wales to volunteer internationally.


Non-profit distributing organisations providing opportunities for people aged between 16 and 25 are invited to apply for a grant of up to £30,000 to fund a structured programme of activities. The Gwirvol Partnership will support up to 80% of the total project costs.


Applications are especially welcome from organisations working with young people:


from disadvantaged communities, particularly Communities First areas and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities;
with physical or learning disabilities; or
not in education, employment or training (NEETS).


Funded activities might include the following:


Volunteer recruitment - eg promotional events, taster sessions and publicity.
Volunteer development and preparation - eg training, teambuilding, mentoring and awareness raising.
Volunteer participation - eg travel and subsistence, support to host communities and equipment.
Sharing learning outcomes - eg presentation events, digital reports, website information and evaluation.


Proposals supporting new, high quality volunteering experiences will be prioritised. Funded projects should have a positive impact on individuals, groups and the wider community in Wales and overseas through youth volunteering.


The deadline for receipt of applications is 20 July 2009.

http://www.wcva.org.uk/

Neighbourhood & Homewatch Fund

Another short notice date for this and you'll need to check if you're covered in the designated area-I havent done it yet although I probably should have.

Applications are invited from Neighbourhood and Home Watch schemes in defined areas of England and Wales for support towards the cost of securing homes and preventing crime in the area.

Grants of between £1,000 and £50,000 are available from a total fund worth £500,000 for activities which:

• reach more people in helping them to secure their homes;
• warn them about crime in their area and take action to prevent it;
• share information and take action to prevent distraction burglary;
• issue and help to fit security locks, bolts, peepholes, door chains and similar devices;
• work with Neighbourhood Policing teams to distribute the government’s crime prevention advice; an
• use local meetings and engagement opportunities to provide crime prevention information to the public.

Successful projects will include the following:

• Measurable actions that make a difference.
• Work which makes as many homes as possible more secure.
• Activities to reduce distraction burglary.
• Activities which share information and good practice between the voluntary sector and the police.
• Case study learning.

It is expected that groups will prioritise work with older people, people on low incomes, students and vulnerable young adults.

http://grantsadmin.co.uk/

The final closing date is 31 July 2009.

Cymraeg i Pawb

Here is an opportunity to better use Welsh and promote it throughout what we're doing. Syniad dda wrth cwrs. Manylion...

Offering financial support to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language, this programme funds projects that have as their aim, realising one of the following objectives:

• Increasing the number of people who are able to speak Welsh.
• Providing opportunities to use the language.
• Changing habits of language use and encouraging people to take advantage of the opportunities provided.
• Strengthening Welsh as a community language.

Grants are offered on a discretionary basis and will meet up to 70% of project costs. Eligible applicants included private sector businesses, voluntary groups and public sector organisations.

The 2010/11 bidding round has recently opened. Applications must be received by 3 September 2009.

Offering financial support to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language, this programme funds projects that have as their aim, realising one of the following objectives:

• Increasing the number of people who are able to speak Welsh.
• Providing opportunities to use the language.
• Changing habits of language use and encouraging people to take advantage of the opportunities provided.
• Strengthening Welsh as a community language.

Grants are offered on a discretionary basis and will meet up to 70% of project costs. Eligible applicants included private sector businesses, voluntary groups and public sector organisations.

http://www.byig-wlb.org.uk/

Short Deadline but..£1500

It's always a bind to find that you've just missed a short notice deadline for a grant. Sometimes it feels as if you have to be in 'the know'. Anyway, here is another short notice deadline for a useful small grant.

If you need help applying you should contact PAVO as soon as....

Small Grant Scheme to Support Health and Wellbeing 2009 -2010
Deadline Monday 13th July

The Small Grants Scheme to Promote Health and Wellbeing 2009 - 2010 is now up and
running. Funding has been agreed by Powys t LHB , Powys County Council adult social
services and Powys Wellbeing Grant.

This grant scheme enables groups to access funds of up to £1500 to undertake activities to
support specified priorities under the Health Social Care and Wellbeing Strategy Please note that there is a tight deadline with the scheme this year

Details are available on the PAVO website http://www.pavo.org.uk

Raise Money Without Spending a Penny

Here's a nice idea:


Small charities can offer their supporters an exciting new incentive – the chance to win a new Fiat 500 donated by Zurich Insurance. Find out how you can use the small charity car draw to raise money for your cause without spending a penny. Visit www.thefsi.org/car-draw.html.

Any takers? So far as I can see there are no Powys charities listed yet-it's not too late to register!

New Blog

This is the new home for Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations 's Funding Blog. I've moved it over from Bloglines as I don't believe that it was as accessible there. Hopefully anyone can find this.

Blogs should really be about soapboxes and debate or at least dialogue. I'd be keen to hear from the sector in Powys about how we (PAVO) can improve our service and key it in to your needs. So, please get in contact.

We are currently planning the surgeries and training around funding that we'd like to put on. Let me know your ideas and we can try and respond better.

For now though, fresh in...

Youth Music Fund Announced-Deadline end of June

Youth Music, the UK’s largest children’s music charity has announced that it will be launching their new funding programme on the 30th June 2009. Grants of between £5,000 and £30,000 will be available to support projects that provide structured, regular and progressive music-making activities for children and young people in support of Youth Music’s 3 goals of working with Early Years, Children and Young People in Challenging Circumstances and Encouraging Talent. To be eligible, projects will need to work with children and young people aged 0-18 years (or up to 25 if they have special educational needs, disabilities or are in detention) and children and young people will be at the heart of the decision making for all projects.

http://www.youthmusic.org.uk/news/new-youth-music-fund-launches-30-june.html