Community interest companies are of great benefit to society. Read on to learn about the October roundup of the latest CIC grant funding uk advice.
Fall is upon us! 2021 is rapidly coming to a close. But, CIC organisations don’t need to worry.
Finding Grants online that fits your cic objective is not that easy but there are still opportunities available for CIC grant funding. And, if your project qualifies, you have plenty of time to grab them before the year is out.
Our goal with this article is to make you aware of all the amazing CIC grant funding programmes that are out there. Projects that will improve our communities shouldn’t fall apart because of a lack of funding.
There are many times when community organisations give up on projects because money runs dry. If they only did a little bit more research. Chances are they can find a programme that funds the exact project they’re trying to accomplish.
So, stick around and read on with us! We hope that, by the end of this article, you’ll get connected to an organisation that can bring you and your team’s dreams to life.
But, we have a lot of information to cover. So, let’s get going!
The Tudor Trust
The Tudor Trust is a more general funding programme. As a result, the Trust usually receives a large number of applications. Last year the Trust took in approximately 2500 applications.
Unfortunately, the trust can’t fund every project. The Tudor Trust gives funding to every one in eight applications, on average.
As far as the type of projects that receive funding, that can vary. The Tudor Trust does a great job of focusing on their goal of improving communities. That’s the reason why they keep their guidelines so broad. It allows them to continue to do the work that they want to do.
Typically, the Trust grants funding to community-led organisations that serve people in the “margins of society”. This would mean your underprivileged and minority groups.
The application process is a two-stage process. Applicants can send their applications in via the online form on their website. The Tudor Trust will let applicants know within a month, via email, if their application is moving onto the next stage.
It takes about four months for the Trust to complete the entire process and distribute funding.
The Tudor Trust is unique because they don’t have a maximum or minimum grant value. However, they don’t typically issue grants for less than 10,000 pounds. Specific funding amounts are up for review during the second stage of the process.
Grants can run for 1 to 3 years.
The Bikeability Trust
The Bikeability Trust aims to bring bikeability to kids. The programme gives community organisations access to up to 1,000,000 pounds in funding. This new programme is the Widening Participation Fund. Individual project bids of up to 75,000 pounds will be entertained by the board.
CIC companies can submit funding applications via the online portable on The Bikeability Trust’s website. The deadline for applications is 29 October 2021 at 5 PM.
The Widening Participation programme is open to a wide variety of participant organisations. The organisations need to bring biking to the local community. They also need to take an innovative approach to their biking instruction or biking programmes.
The Trust also wants community organisations to deliver biking services in a way that is repeatable and scalable.
The Community Anchors Fund
The Community Anchors fund is a programme offered by the Virgin Money Foundation. Funding provided by the programme is available to CIC companies throughout Northeast England.
In order to be considered a “community anchor” company there are a few requirements that you’ll need to meet.
Provide Services
The services a company provides need to be relevant and necessary to the neighbourhood. They also need to act as a “gateway” for providing other services.
Bring In Money
A “community anchor” company also needs to help a local neighbourhood financially. This can mean bringing money into a community, or improving residents’ financial situations in other ways like job opportunities and training.
Be A Voice for Local People
In order to be considered a “community anchor” company, you need to be speaking out for the local community. The companies play a key role in keeping local residents informed. Staff from local CIC companies should provide residents with information regarding issues and services that affect their daily lives.
Support Other Community Organisations
Each neighbourhood may have several different organisations serving different parts of the community. A “community anchor” organisation should be instrumental in helping and supporting these organisations. There needs to be a team environment where each organisation helps each other grow and develop.
Protect Local Assets
A lot of community organisations own physical assets in their local community. This can be a green space, historical building, or even a library. As a “community anchor” organisation it would be their job to be a steward for these unique community assets. Community anchors help to preserve the community for years to come.
Provide Safe Spaces
One of the characteristics of a “community anchor” organisation is providing safe spaces within the community. These spaces are where local residents can come together to learn, share, grow, and bond. The goal is for “community anchors” to create an environment where people can come together and help a community to thrive.
Community anchors support these efforts through local networking, volunteering, and training opportunities for local residents.
Example of A Community Anchor Organisation
We thought it might be helpful to provide an example of an organisation that represents what the fund looks for in a community anchor organisation.
Meadow Well is a community hub organisation located in the North Shields neighbourhood. The organisation has been in operation for almost 30 years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Meadow Well has had to significantly change the way they provide services to the local community.
One of the big changes they’ve made is extending their network of outdoor spaces. This has allowed the residents of North Shields to still meet, share, and grow while safely abiding by COVID-19 guidelines. Meadow Well has allowed people to maintain a human connection and fight off social isolation amidst the COVID pandemic.
They’re also working to provide online activities, small group meetings, one-on-one support, and individualised activities delivered to local community residents.
The result is residents that can still improve their well-being and feel empowered to make better life choices.
If you feel your team meets the requirements of a community anchor organisation, you can apply via the Virgin Money Foundation’s online portal.
The Fishmonger’s Company
The Fishmonger’s company is focused on providing funding for three main objectives. They want to improve the educational opportunities in prisons, mental health, and food and nutrition.
Applicants can apply through the organisation’s online portal. The portal is now open. Applicants can request funding between 15,000 and 30,000 pounds.
There is no set deadline for applications. But, applications need to be submitted in time for your project to undergo formal review at the Philanthropy and Grants committee’s October 2021 meeting.
Organisations need to be a registered charity or CIC to qualify for funding. They also need to be able to clearly identify the objectives and outcomes of their project. Applications also can’t be made on behalf of an organisation by a third party.
The Fishmonger’s company gives preference to applicants that make 100,000 and 5,000,000 pounds. They also prefer to grant funding for specific projects and not general initiatives. Applicants who are located within the City of London are also preferred.
The Westminster Foundation
The Westminster foundation focuses on CIC grant funding for the youth of Cheshire West, Chester, Lancashire, and Sutherland. The foundation’s goal is to provide youth from these areas with stable family structure. Their overall goal is to solve the causes and issues associated with generations of inequality.
The Westminster fund focuses on providing funding for certified charities and other community organisations working with young people. Projects should be focused on providing youth with the skills to lead happy and healthy lives in their local community. Both general funding and project-specific funding are acceptable.
Organisations that qualify can receive up to 100,000 pounds in funding over a 1-year period.
City Bridge Trust Funding – Small Grants
City Bridge Trust’s small grants programme works to fund certified charities and CICs that help the disadvantaged or disadvantaged elderly. If these organisations make less than 100,000 pounds per year, they are eligible for funding through the Trust’s small grants programme.
Applicants will need to submit one set of financial accounts that fit the above criteria. They will also need to show the Trust one year’s operational budget to be reviewed for qualification.
Once an applicant completes the application, they will receive a decision within 12 weeks. But, this timeframe could change based on the demand for funding at that particular time.
Within the small grants programme, applicants can receive funding up to 10,000 pounds. Funding can cover a wide variety of projects.
Projects that focus on any outdoor projects that help to bring communities together are eligible for funding. The Trust is especially interested in projects that include the elderly or disadvantaged in community well-being opportunities.
CIC Grant Funding For All
Now you have an idaea of your October CIC grant funding opportunities. There is a lot of opportunity to do good in your local community. If your organisation is struggling with a current project, don’t lose hope.
There may be funding available for you that you didn’t even think of. If you’re interested in information about more funding opportunities, contact us today. Organisations that join our CIC Fund Membership programme get the latest and greatest information on ways they can extend their reach in the local community.
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Categories: cic grants, community funding grants, Community Interest Companies, Funding, Grant Funding uk
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