Tag Archive for: Grassroots

Social Value Investment / CPCA/ on-going

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The Social Impact Investment Fund (SIIF) is a £2.375 million fund dedicated to supporting charities and social enterprises in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough region. Funded by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) and managed by Allia, this innovative programme provides capital grants and loans to social and third sector organisations.

The SIIF was created to bridge the gap between what social ventures need and what traditional finance offers. We understand that many impactful organisations struggle to access patient and flexible capital that prioritises their mission to deliver social value over financial returns.

The SIIF is here to change that. By offering grants and social loans, the SIIF provides tailored support that empowers social ventures to achieve both their social and financial objectives, while fostering community development and economic growth.

Social Impact: To support organisations that create significant positive social outcomes

Financial Sustainability: To create a model for sustainable future social investment, particularly for those who cannot access traditional financial solutions

Good Growth: To stimulate economic and social development in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area.

The SIIF offers three key funding instruments:

  1. Grants: Non-repayable funds of £10,000 – £25,000; Best suited for charities or early-stage social enterprises with high social impact potential.
  2. Social Loans: Affordable loans of £10,000 – £75,000; Best suited for growing social ventures who want to transition to more commercial forms of capital.
  3. Revenue Participation Agreements (RPAs): An innovative funding model where capital of £10,000 – £75,000 is provided in exchange for a share of future revenues over a period; Best suited for revenue-generating organisations looking to grow without the pressure of traditional debt.

Grants are well-suited for non-profits or early-stage social ventures, while loans and RPAs are designed to drive growth and instil financial discipline in early to mid-stage companies, positioning them for larger, more traditional forms of capital, such as debt and equity.

To apply for any of the funding options under the Social Impact Investment Fund (SIIF), your organisation must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Location: Your organisation must be based in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) region, including Peterborough, Fenland, Huntingdonshire, East Cambridgeshire, South Cambridgeshire, and Cambridge.

Social Impact Mission: Your organisation should have a clear social impact mission and a commitment to creating positive social outcomes in the local community, especially in line with CPCA’s aims to reduce inequality, create jobs, boost the economy, affordable housing, and build environmental resilience.

Capital Use: The grant and loan funding must be used for capital projects that contribute to growth, development, or expansion of the organisation, such as new product development, entering new markets, or increasing operational capacity to serve more customers and beneficiaries.

Financial Viability: Applicants must demonstrate financial stability and a realistic plan for sustainability.

Compliance: Organisations must comply with relevant legal, regulatory, and governance requirements, including subsidy control rules, as applicable.

https://futurebusinesscentre.co.uk/programmes/cpca-social-impact-investment-fund/

Core costs / Foyle Foundation/ 31 Jan 2025

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The Foyle Foundation is an independent grant-making trust that distributes grants to UK charities. Since it became operational in November 2001, the Foundation has disbursed more than £91.5 million in grants.

Small Grants Scheme, supporting charities in all fields with a turnover of less than £150,000 per annum.

The Small Grants Scheme is provided by the Foyle Foundation to support smaller, grass-roots and local charities in the UK with projects that have the potential to make a significant difference to their work.

Grants of between £2,000 and £10,000 are available for 12 months.

Grants can be used for core costs or essential equipment.

Who Can Apply

UK charities that have an annual turnover of less than £150,000 are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to charities that are working at grass roots and local community level.

Charities must be able to demonstrate ongoing financial viability over the next 12 months.

One-year grants are available for core costs, projects, essential equipment, or building projects.

The Foundation’s priority will be to support local charities still active in their communities that are currently delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community.

If applying for funding towards a capital project, applicants should apply towards the end of their fundraising campaign, when the majority of funding has been raised and they have an estimated start date for the works. The Foundation is unlikely to consider a request if the lease is less than 10 years. If the application is successful, the pledged grant offer is only valid for 12 months.

Applicants must show how any grant will make a significant difference to their current work and must be able to demonstrate ongoing financial viability over the next 12 months.

The Foyle Foundation will complete its grant giving programme in 2025. Due to unprecedented demand it will now stop accepting new applications to the Small Grants Scheme on 31 January 2025.

Applications can continue to be submitted at any time up to the final cut off date. Please also note that the foundation can only consider applications for projects (and funding periods) which will be completed before the end of 2025.  

https://foylefoundation.org.uk/how-to-apply/small-grants-scheme-guidelines/

Windrush Community Celebrations/ Government / 25 November 204

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The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG), in partnership with Near Neighbours, is offering grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 for local authorities, charities, and community groups across England to deliver projects and activities that engage with the Windrush story and Windrush communities in powerful, thoughtful, and enterprising ways.

For 2025, the focus is on bringing communities together across different ages and ethnic backgrounds to celebrate and educate their local area about the contributions of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Proposals should focus on at least one of the following overarching aims of the scheme:

  • To educate people about the Windrush story.
  • To foster a greater sense of national pride and recognition of the historic and ongoing contributions made by the Windrush generation and their descendants to UK society.
  • To develop the skills and entrepreneurial ambitions of young people.
  • To celebrate and commemorate the continued contributions of the Windrush generation to the UK.

Proposed projects should achieve all of the following outcomes:

  • Greater community cohesion.
  • Have a lasting impact beyond the funding period.
  • Increased acknowledgment of the contribution of the Windrush generation and their descendants.

Projects should be developed by, or with, the Windrush generation and their descendants, and organisations should carefully consider how the project will create a positive social impact in their local area and help to galvanise communities to work together to embrace positive aspects of their shared identity.

Proposed projects must include a lead event or activity on National Windrush Day (22 June 2025). All further events and activities must take place before 30 September 2025.

The deadline for applications is 25 November 2024. 

https://www.near-neighbours.org.uk/windrush2025

Health/ Childwick Trust / 31 October 24

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Childwick Trust is offering grants for registered charities across Southeast England primarily working in healthcare, as well as those working to support people in horseracing, and Jewish charities.

Proposed projects should fall under one of the following themes:

  • Health – support for charities that offer care for people who are terminally ill or have a serious illness, older people, or adults and children with mental health issues or learning disabilities. Funding can be used for specialist equipment, respite care, holidays, education, or core costs.
  • Horseracing – support for the welfare of those in need within the horseracing industry, generally aimed at older people, people who are retired or injured, and those on low incomes.
  • Jewish charities – support for charities that promote the Jewish faith and help Jewish people in need, including older people, disabled people, and young people.

Priority will be given to charities that have not received a donation within the previous two years and typically have an annual income of less than £5 million.  Multi-year funding will be considered from charities that have been previously funded.

There are typically two application periods a year, in April and October.

The deadline for applications is 31 October 2024. 

https://childwicktrust.org/

Local community/ One Stop Shop/ 25 October 24 and 24 January 2025

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Local Community Groups are able to apply for funding to support the group and to develop a new or ongoing project in partnership with their local store. Successful applicants will receive an initial grant of up to £1,000 and begin a partnership with their local One Stop store.
This programme is designed to support community groups or organisations operating within two miles of a One Stop store and which are;
• Tackling food poverty
• Supporting the vulnerable
• Supporting the elderly
• Supporting low-income families
• Supporting local sports teams
• Improving the local environment
• Reducing Waste in the community

Taking a partnership approach

The programme provides partnership as well as financial assistance. Alongside a grant of up to £1,000, and the opportunity to create a long-term tailored programme of support for successful applicants with their local One Stop Store Team. Grant recipients then work in partnership with the One Stop Store Team at their local shop to deliver support to the community.

The tailored support from the store teams will help community causes to increase or improve their service by assisting in areas such as but not limited to; volunteering support, fundraising and awareness-raising.

Apply today

To be eligible to apply, your organisation or project location address must be within two miles of a One Stop store. Before you start your application, please use the below Store Locator to check the distance from your local store and whether funding is currently available there.

If your local store is one of our Working With stores you will need to speak to the store manager directly to request support for your community group.

https://www.onestop.co.uk/community-partnership-page/

Small grants/ Easyfundraising/ 31st October 2024

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Waitrose and easyfundraising have come Together for Good to give a funding boost to voluntary organisations, charities, and CICs. For one month only, they will donate five £1,000 funding pots. Follow these steps for a chance to receive your share:

  1. Register your organisation with easyfundraising.
  2. Encourage your volunteers, followers, and community to use easyfundraising’s platform to shop with Waitrose.

Key information: Every online shop at Waitrose is an entry into the prize draw. Plus, every shop will generate a donation – £10 if it’s someone’s first shop at Waitrose and £1.50 for every subsequent shop throughout October.

Take your first step by signing up to easyfundraising today:  www.easyfundraising.org.uk/community/

Grassroots Activity Grants/ Cambridge City Council/ Deadline 8 Nov 2024

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Cambridge City Council’s Grassroots Activity Grant is funded by the Leys school and is to support children from low-income families in Cambridge City to access sport, dance, physical activity sessions or swimming lessons. 

The grant is open for applications between the 1st October and the 8th November.

What is available?

It provides up to £250 per year to pay for joining fees and weekly session fees.

The grant is kindly funded by the Leys School.  

Eligibility and restrictions

The grant can only be used for children aged 4 to 16.

You must:

  • live in Cambridge
  • receive Income Support or Universal Credit

They will prioritise applications from:

  • families whose children do not take part in after-school physical activity due to financial restrictions
  • families who have not previously received a Grassroots Activity Grant

You cannot use the grant to pay for:

  • travel expenses
  • one-to-one sessions or private small group sessions
  • after-school clubs or one-off activity camps

How to apply

Application form for land-based sports / activities: https://forms.office.com/e/ayfj5iPHMq

Application form for swimming lessons: https://forms.office.com/e/VhNPUtc6En

If they accept your application, they will pay the grant to the organisation that provides the activity.

They will provide funds for equipment in the form of vouchers that you can redeem at sports shops. You must provide receipts within six weeks of receiving the vouchers.

Deadline: 8th November 2024

Grassroots Activity Grants – Cambridge City Council