Heritage Lottery Fund: changes to small grants programmes

From April 2012, the maximum grant limit for Your Heritage applications is increasing form £50,000 to £100,000.

The maximum grant limit for Young Roots applications is also increasing from £25,000 to £50,000. Young Roots projects can last up to two years (up from 18 months) and the age range widened to include young people from 11 - 25 years old (previously started at 13 years old).

Also from April 2012, HLF will make decisions on Your Heritage and Young Roots applications at bi-monthly meetings. A full list on submission deadlines and decision meetings can be found on the following web page: http://www.hlf.org.uk/inyourarea/Wales/Pages/SmallGrantsSubmissiondeadlinesanddecisiondates.aspx

As always, if you have an idea for a heritage project HLF encourages seeking pre-application advice using the on-line portal.

VILLAGE SOS NATIONAL CONFERENCE - BOOK NOW!

Monday 27th February
Burlington House Hotel, Birmingham
9.30am - 17.30pm

This looks to be a really interesting conference, with a packed agenda.  The conference is essential for anyone with an interest in rural communities and community enterprise.

For more details, and to book a free place go to: www.villagesos.org.uk

Arts And Business Cymru Awards 2012

The best creative partnerships in Wales will be recognised in the 19th annual Arts & Business Cymru Awards, which opened to nominations today.

The Awards, which encourage, acknowledge and celebrate exemplary partnerships between the private sector and the arts, reflect the broad range of work undertaken by Arts & Business Cymru across the country.

In addition to 10 established categories, this year the organiser is recognising the role that individuals play in supporting the arts with a Philanthropy Award. The remaining categories are each sponsored by a key Welsh organisation. They are as follows:

• Arts, Business & Brand Identity.
• Arts, Business & the Community.
• Arts, Business & Young People.
• Arts & Small Business.
• Arts, Business & the Environment.
• Arts, Business & Employees.
• Arts, Business & Long Term Support.
• Business Adviser of the Year.
• The Admiral Business of the Year Award.
• The Legal & General Arts Award.

The awards for business participants are non-financial. The Legal & General Arts Award for is a cash prize of £2,500 for the arts organisation that has worked most creatively in a business partnership.

The Arts & Business Cymru Awards Ceremony will take place at Wales Millennium Centre on Thursday 14 June 2012.

The deadline for receipt of nominations is 1 March 2012.

http://artsandbusiness.org.uk/

(Source: Grantfinder) 

CONGRATULATIONS TO CWM TRANNON

Cwm Trannon (Trefeglwys Community Shop), has won the Countryside Alliance Awards for the best shop and village Post Office in the whole of Wales recently.  

They will now be representing Wales in the final for the whole of the UK which will take place at the Houses of Parliament later this year.

Congratulations to all at Cwm Trannon on your well deserved award, and good luck for the national finals!

Have you got some good news you'd like to share, get in touch, and we'll post it on the blog.

MONTGOMERY DISTRICT TRUST FUND - NOW OPEN

Supports recreation and leisure projects for groups in Montgomeryshire

The Fund makes contributions to projects of up to 50% of costs and grants of up to £1500 are available. Please refer to the criteria for specific details.

Guidelines and application forms can be obtained by emailing tom@cfiw.org.uk or phoning the office on 02920 536590.

Charities should be pro-active about fundraising all year long

Interesting article about year round fundraising:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-network/2012/jan/20/fundraising-charities-christmas-donations

(Source:  Guardian Voluntary Sector Network)

Volunteering funding boost for Wales

Two WCVA Schemes have been awarded funding to take them in to 2013.  The Volunteering in Wales fund and the GwirVol grant scheme will benefit:

http://www.wcva.org.uk/news/dsp_news.cfm?newsid=1783

(Source: WCVA)

Charity Commission publishes new risk framework

The Charity Commission, the regulator for charities in England and Wales, has today published its new Risk Framework together with information on how the framework will be applied. 

The Framework explains to trustees, charity advisors and the wider public the Commission’s approach to regulation and how it assesses risks affecting charities, the wider charity sector, and public confidence.


http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/Library/risk_framework.pdf


(Source:  Charity Commission)

New Credit Union Laws to benefit charities

Credit Unions can now change their rules in order to develop and provide services:

http://abcul.coop/media-and-research/news/view/208

(Source: Association of British Credit Unions limited)

BIG LOTTERY INNOVATION FUNDING OPENS NEW ROUND

A project to provide advice and support for student sex workers and a project to address racism and far-right extremism in young people are among the range of groups throughout Wales to share in more than £1 million awarded by the Big Lottery Fund today.

Five projects across Wales share in the £1,376,049 awarded under the first round of the BIG Innovation programme, which aims to specifically support projects that test new ways of tackling emerging and existing social problems. 

The news comes as the programme opens for the second round of applications, with potential applicants having until Thursday, February 23, 2012 to apply for grants of between £20,000 and £1 million for innovative new projects.

For more information go to:

http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_big_innovation?regioncode=-wal

New Year Newspapers bring some good news

Whilst looking through the local newspapers, I was delighted to read about how some Powys groups have been successful with funding applications.

The County Times (30-12-2011, 6-1-2012) details the following groups:

• Castle Caerinion Community Hall, who have secured funding from Can Do and Awards for All for the acoustics to be improved.  This will enable the Hall to hold musical events, opening up the opportunities for the local community.

•  Cylch Meithrin in Llanfyllin has been successful in securing a grant from the Co-operative for new play equipment.

• Llanfechain Memorial Hall has secured a grant from the Welsh Government Rural Retail Programme to provide permanent retail provision at the Hall.

So, congratulations to those groups.  It's great to hear some good news.  If you have any news you want to share, please get in touch.

If you need any support around funding then get in touch with PAVO, we are here to help.

CAN DO - GET IT WHILE YOU CAN!

! IT’S FIRST COME FIRST SERVED WITH THIS SCHEME – DON’T MISS OUT – CALL TODAY !

Groups wishing to apply will go through a funding health check to reduce the paperwork previously associated with the scheme.  Nearly 50 have been undertaken to date!

Up to £2000 will be available for groups supporting identified local need and activity, for small scale capital projects, that will make a big impact.  For example, a grant could be used for sports equipment to encourage healthy lifestyles, or display boards for a community building.  Groups will also be expected to find match funding of 33%.  Funding must be spent by 1^st March 2012.

For more information:

Go to:              www.pavo.org.uk

Call the:           PAVO Helpdesk on 0845 009 3288

E-mail:              info@pavo.org.uk

Under the Radar - article of interest

An interesting article looking at the 'Big Society' in England, about grass roots groups, who operate 'under the radar':
http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-network/community-action-blog/2011/dec/16/tsrc-micro-mapping-big-society

What's the situation where you are?  Let us know

How can social media help you?

Looking to get evidence of need for funding applications, or just find out what others in your area think?  How about using social media to find out more.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-network/community-action-blog/2011/dec/15/social-media-neighbourhood-cooperation

(Source: Guardian Voluntary Sector Network)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all.
What are your funding resolutions for this year?  
How was 2011 for you funding wise?
Drop us a line to let us know what's going on with your group or area.  We'd love to hear from you.