Tuesday 2 December 2014

SAFER GIVING AT CHRISTMAS - CHARITY COMMISSION GUIDANCE

The Charity Commission has today released a short animated video designed to emphasise its Safer Giving messages, coinciding with Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving, launched by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) in the UK.
In 2012, an ICM poll* commissioned by the regulator highlighted that 85% of people gave directly to charity at Christmas, donating an average of around £40 to the good causes they cared about. One of the groups least likely to make any checks before donating was young people. At that time, 78% of respondents aged 18-24 stated that after taking the poll they would be more likely to make checks in the future. The video serves as a timely reminder in the run up to Christmas.
The video, which can also be viewed on the commission’s YouTube channel, has been launched in support of Giving Tuesday (2 December) as a world-wide day of giving.

Paula Sussex, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:

It’s great that people continue to give generously at Christmas and we’d like to remind the public that by taking a few small steps you can ensure that your money goes to the right place. Whilst instances of fundraising fraud are rare, they sadly do occur, and the public has a key part to play in keeping charities accountable by using the resources available to them to make those checks. On this Giving Tuesday I would encourage people donating to charity to watch our video, and to make sure they’re giving safely both today and throughout the year.

To give safely this Christmas, follow these tips:

  1. Before giving, check the charity’s name and registration number. You can verify this at the Charity Commission’s website atwww.charitycommission.gov.uk. The charity’s profile shows whether or not the organisation is up to date with its annual reporting requirements.
  2. When approached by collectors, check whether they are wearing a proper ID badge and that any collection tin is sealed.
  3. If in doubt, ask the collector for more information - a genuine fundraiser should be happy to answer questions and explain more about the work of the charity.
  4. Genuine fundraising materials should feature the charity’s name, registered name and a landline contact number. Be wary of those that list only a mobile number.
  5. Look for the FRSB tick logo indicating that the charity is signed up to fundraising regulation, encouraging you to give with confidence.www.givewithconfidence.org.uk
  6. To check whether a fundraiser is authorised to collect money in a public place, contact your local authority or, if in London, the police. If it is a private place, check with the owner.
  7. Take care when responding to emails or clicking links to a charity’s website to ensure that they are genuine. Instead, search online for your favourite charity to check you have the right web address.
  8. Carefully review collection bags for clothing and household goods to ascertain whether they are from a genuine charity.
  9. After making these checks, if you think that a collection or appeal is not legitimate, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 and inform the Charity Commission.
  10. If in any doubt, contact your favoured charity direct to make a donation.
Find out more about Giving Tuesday at www.givingtuesday.org or follow#GivingTuesday
*ICM interviewed a random sample of 1160 adults aged 18+ via telephone in the UK between 30 November and 2 December 2012. Surveys were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. The ICM Poll looked at checks donors make before giving;other findings included:
  • 39 per cent of donors ask collectors for ID or question them about the organisation
  • Respondents aged 18-24 and over 65 are least likely to make checks before donating, with 49% and 46% respectively failing to do so
  • Overall, women make more checks than men, with 30% of female respondents checking for a registered charity number when approached, compared to 24% of males
  • Men give an average of £52 directly to charities at Christmas time, with women donating an average of £27
The most popular ways of giving at Christmas time are purchasing Christmas cards and other goods (64%), cash collections (53%), raffles and lotteries (44%) and bag/household goods collections (43%)

Monday 1 December 2014

Applying to corporate foundations

Are you planning on making applications to corporate funders such as Santander and Lloyds TSB?

Check out this article - whilst it written in 2011, it is still highly relevant, and the tips given can be applied to any funding application, not just those made to corporate funders.

http://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2011/nov/24/best-bits-corporate-foundations

Thursday 27 November 2014

SURVIVING WINTER FUND

Surviving Winter is a campaign which matches people who care with organisations supporting older people and families suffering from food and fuel poverty this winter.  

There are 386,000 households in Wales living in fuel poverty. Last year there were 1,900 unnecessary winter deaths in Wales, and in the past 12 months food banks have seen the need for their services more than double. These shocking statistics demonstrate the extent of fuel and food poverty in Wales.   
The Surviving Winter Fund is made up of multiple, small donations by people who have given online to help meet these needs.  Over £16,000 has been raised in the last two years, and a range of small grants have been awarded to make a real and immediate difference to families and older people suffering food and fuel poverty.   
Groups are invited to apply for grants of up to £1,000 to support the cost of:
  • items essential to alleviating the suffering of food and fuel poverty (e.g. food parcels, blankets, hot water bottles, thermals)
  • activities  to alleviate the suffering of food and fuel poverty (e.g. soup kitchens, community luncheon club
Please contact the Foundation for further information.
http://www.cfiw.org.uk/eng/grants/39-surviving-winter-
(Source: Community Foundation in Wales)

The Anchor Foundation

The Anchor Foundation awards grants for Christian charitable projects (including projects abroad) which encourage social inclusion through “ministries of healing and the arts”.
Grants between £500 and £10,000 are available.
Applications for capital or revenue funding will be considered, although grants for building work will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
The Foundation does not award grants to individuals
Registered Christian charities in the United Kingdom are eligible to apply.
Application forms are available to complete online and to download from the Foundation's website.
Applications are considered at twice yearly meetings in April and November.
The annual deadlines for applications are 31 January and 31 July.
Contact details for the Foundation are:
The Secretary
The Anchor Foundation
PO Box 21107
Alloa
FK12 5WA
Email:
 secretary@theanchorfoundation.org.uk
(Source: GRIN)

The Ironmonger's Company

The Ironmongers’ Company aims to support projects from registered UK charities that enable disadvantaged children and young people under the age of 25 to fulfil their potential.
Grant support is available to charities for projects that develop learning, motivation and skills.
Grants range from a few hundred pounds up to around £10,000. The average grant awarded is £4,000. During the last financial year the Company allocated around £700,000 in grants.
Projects must:
o Consist of educational activities that develop learning, motivation and skills, and
o Have clear aims and objectives to be met within a planned timescale.
The Company is particularly interested in enabling primary school age children to develop a strong foundation for the future.
Projects could, for example:
o Support special educational needs.
o Address behavioural problems, or
o Promote citizenship, parenting or life skills.
Preference is given to projects piloting new approaches where the outcomes will be disseminated to a wider audience.
The Company’s support should make a recognisable difference; therefore, priority is given to requests where the grant would cover a significant element of the cost and to those from smaller organisations.
Funding is not available for:
o Large projects towards which a contribution from the Company would have limited impact.
o General appeals or circulars.
o Replacement of statutory funds.
o General running costs, although a reasonable proportion of overheads will be accepted as part of project costs.
o Medical treatment, healthcare, counselling and therapy.
o Course fees for professionals.
o Research projects. o Fundraising events and sponsorship.
o Projects that begin before the date of the relevant Committee meeting.
o Building work.
o Holidays.
Grant Application Summary sheets are available to complete online at the Company's website.
Applicants must also submit a description of the project, of no more than three A4 pages typed on one side of each sheet, including the following:
o Aims and objectives of the organisation.
o How the need for the work has been identified and why the project is the best way to address this.
o A detailed description of the project and the activities that will take place.
o The anticipated outcomes and the methods by which the success of the project will be evaluated.
o A full breakdown of the costs involved, explaining how the figures have been calculated.
o If the organisation's most recent audited accounts are not available on the Charity Commission's online register, then a copy should be enclosed.
No other supporting documents should be sent.
Applications must be posted to the Company – they are not accepted by email - and are assessed twice annually, in March and October.
The deadlines for applications are 31 December and 31 July annually. For further information, visit the Ironmongers’ Company website.
Contact details for the Company are:
The Ironmongers' Company
Ironmongers' Hall
Shaftesbury Place
Barbican
London
EC2Y 8AA
Tel: 020 7776 2311
(Source: GRIN)

Tuesday 25 November 2014

Coalfields Regeneration Trust Funding Fayre 10-12-2014 Ystradgynlais

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) has arranged a Funding Fair event for the voluntary and community sector on Wednesday 10th December 2pm – 6pm at the Welfare, Ystradgynlais.   There will be various information stalls hosted by the CRT, Game-On and PAVO available to browse. 

There will also be workshop sessions held where a representative of your group could come along and discuss your project idea(s) in more detail with representatives from the CRT, the Community Foundation in Wales, PAVO and the Wales Co-operative Centre.  If you would like to book a workshop session with the funders we are allocating a 30 minute appointment.  If this something you would be interested in attending please contact us on 01443 404455 to book a workshop.

Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund 2014 Now Open

Local charities, community groups and individuals from across the UK and Ireland are invited to apply for an award to help support sporting or leisure activities or hobbies that are beneficial to individuals or communities.

To date, The Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund has given out awards to help over 100,000 people. This winter, five separate awards of £300 will be given out each week from November 2014 until February 2015. One of these awards will go to the project that has received the most public votes online each week, while the other four will be selected by a panel of judges who will judge each entry (and use of the award) on:

   - The extent to which the proposed initiative will help the local community.
   - Extent of the proposed initiative’s reach.
   - The perceived local need for such hobbies, sporting or leisure activities.

Entries can be made at any time up until 11.59pm on 22 February 2015.

http://www.galaxyhotchocolate.com/

Friday 21 November 2014

Just Giving's Donate Box lets charities embed giving form on their website

 has today launched a plugin that lets any charity embed a giving form on their website. DonateBox is a small square content section which can be placed anywhere on a web page, enabling visitors to the charity’s site to give through  and then share their donation via social media.
The box can be placed on a charity’s website simply by cutting and pasting some code provided by JustGiving.
It can be placed on one web page, some, or all of them.
JustGiving Donate Box
A sample Donate Box

Donate Box
 has been optimised for smartphones and tablets, and offers JustGiving’s one touch donation process. JustGiving reports that around 60% of traffic to its platform comes from  devices. In addition, using the one touch functionality increases conversion to giving on mobiles to 90%.
Donate Box is a play on words, combining the traditional charity ‘collecting box’ and the content box on a web page.
JustGiving Donate Box
Donate Box adds a JustGiving donation form to a web page.

JustGiving Donate Box
After giving via Donate Box, donors can then share their donation via Facebook or Twitter.
 Giving Tuesday
The tool has been launched two weeks before the UK’s first #GivingTuesday day of promoting fundraising and volunteering. The company says that, with the tool, it “aims to make sure charities of all sizes have a donation tool that makes giving social”.
Sally Falvey, Head of Charity Marketing, commented:
“Donate Box allows charities to instantly add JustGiving to their website. Not only that, but it allows donors to give on any device and share their giving, without leaving a charity’s website – helping charities to reach more people, inspire more giving and ultimately raise more money for their cause.”
 (Source:  UK Fundraising)

Thursday 20 November 2014

Donor behaviour and Gift Aid


Research from HM Revenue and Customs has found that donors are put off claiming Gift Aid because they believe there will be a cost to the charity or themselves, and don't want to share personal information in case of
further fundraising contacts. The research is part of government moves to encourage greater use of Gift Aid. Civil Society Media has more at http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/finance/news/content/18583/, or download 'Gift Aid: Understanding donor behaviour' (pdf, 829KB) from
http://preview.tinyurl.com/q6m8w2q

(Source: Civil Society)

WATKIN JONES COMMUNITY FUND

The Watkin Jones Community Fund is run by construction and development company Watkin Jones Group and offers grants of up to £1,000 to support projects aimed at promoting communities throughout the UK, with particular emphasis on enhancing the physical environment and improving quality of life for local people.
Any not-for-profit group or organisation running projects aimed at improving the quality of life for local people can apply. Grants cannot be awarded to individuals or companies who aim to distribute a profit.
The Watkin Jones Community Fund supports community-based projects that aim to make a real difference. These may include regeneration, environmental/sustainability, educational, capacity-building and skills development, renovation, arts, culture and sports projects.
The next deadline for applications is Friday, 19 December 2014, and you will be informed within 6 weeks if your application has been successful.
You can download the Watkin Jones Community Fund application form here or call the Watkin Jones Group on 01745 538 200.
(Source: FCFCG)

The Bridging Fund Charitable Trust

The Bridging Fund Charitable Trust aims to support organisations in the UK working with individuals who are experiencing financial hardship.
The Trust's charitable objectives are:
“To assist those who the Trustees feel are in temporary difficulty and who could be “got back on their feet” with a little help. To achieve this the charity will make grants to other charities who have an infrastructure in place to pass funds effectively onto those individuals.”
Organisations in the UK that are working with people in crisis are eligible to apply for one-off  grants in the region of £1,000 to £10,000.  This appears to include CICs, constituted voluntary organisations and registered charities. PLEASE NOTE: applications are not accepted from individuals.
Over the last five financial years the Trust has recorded an average annual expenditure of just under £250,000.
The Trust prefers grants to be used to directly assist individuals in crisis rather than to pay wages and running costs of the organisation.
Applications may be submitted at any time. There is no application form. Applications should be made in writing with the following information: 
o What work the organisation does to help individuals in crisis;
o Details of what the organisation wants a grant for; and
o The amount of funding required.
The Trust does not have a website. Some background information is however available on the Open Charities and Charity Commission websites.
Contact details for the Trust are:
The Bridging Fund Charitable Trust
PO Box No 3106
Lancing
West Sussex
BN15 5BL
Tel: 01903 750008
Email:
 info@thebridgingfund.org
(Source: GRIN)

Tuesday 18 November 2014

POWYS DANCE TRUSTEE RECRUITMENT - EXCITING OPPORTUNITY

Powys Dance is one of the leading dance development agencies in Wales and has a first class reputation for its wide-ranging work in the County. The service is revenue funded by the Arts Council of Wales. After 35 years of successful activity as a Council-operated service, Powys Dance will soon launch as an independent organisation with its own board of management. This exciting development will open up a variety of new funding opportunities and allow Powys Dance to operate more flexibly and engage the community more actively in its work.

PAVO and Powys County Council are now at an extremely important stage in the process of working to assist the emerging Charity to recruit a Board of Trustees to shape the new organisation and take it forward. The Board of Trustees will be responsible for driving the vision for the provision of dance services within Powys over the coming years.

If you have the drive, commitment and ambition to get involved in leading an exciting new dance venture, and can offer up to 4 days per year of your time, then please do take the time to read our Dawns Powys Dance Trustee Recruitment Pack ENG in Word or Dawns Powys Dance Trustee Recruitment Pack ENG pdf. Equalities Monitoring Form ENG  Alternatively. contact Claire Sterry PAVO on 01597 822191 or claire.sterry@pavo.org.uk

Fenton Arts Trust

The Fenton Arts Trust seeks to assist individuals and organisations who are making a worthwhile contribution to the artistic and cultural life of this country.
In particular it wishes to support artists at the beginning of their careers.
The Trust has three objectives:
1. To support final year or postgraduate students through the award of scholarships or bursaries.
2. To provide grants which will support or reward work or performance by individuals early in their careers.
3. To provide grants for institutions or organisations sharing these aims.
There are no stated minimum or maximum grant award levels.
In the financial year ending 31 March 2013, the Trust made 27 awards totalling £102,518. The average award was just under £3,800. Only one award exceeded £15,000.
Groups, companies, institutions and individuals in the UK are eligible to apply.
Applications may be submitted at any time. However, in most financial years (April-March) almost all funds in the current budget are committed by July.
Application forms are available to download from the Trust's website.
Contact details for the Trust are:
The Secretary
The Fenton Arts Trust
PO Box 68825
London SE23 9DG

(Source: GRIN)

Monday 17 November 2014

Planning and Writing Successful Funding Bids (intermediate) - 26-11-2014

Planning and Writing Successful Funding Bids (intermediate)

Date: Wednesday 26th November 2014 – (full day - £20)

Venue: PAVO, Unit 30 Ddole Road Enterprise Park, Llandrindod Wells, Powys LD1 6DF

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
·         Understand the current funding climate in Wales and its impact on funders
·         Review their current approach of developing a bid
·         Apply new tools and techniques to give their bids a winning 'edge'
·         Understand and meet the expectations of funders 

To bookclick here

Charities should trust volunteers’ fundraising expertise

This is an interesting article:


http://www.fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/charities-trust-volunteers-fundraising-expertise/?mc_cid=4f937cd9f3&mc_eid=1f09abb537

What's your experience?  Who helps you with your fundraising?

£30m loan fund to offer commercial finance to charities and social enterprises

Registered charities and social enterprises based and working in the UK have a new source of loan funding with the introduction of a £30 million Third Sector Loan Fund, which launched at the end of last week.
Launched by Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC) in partnership with Social Investment Business (SIB), 
Big Society Capital
, and Santander, the Third Sector Loan Fund will run for 10 years.
It will provide both secured and unsecured loans of between £250,000 and £3 million to registered charities and social enterprises working to improve the economic and social
well-being of individuals, particularly those who are vulnerable
and disadvantaged.
Funding is aimed at diversified sectors such as, but not limited
to:
·         Jobs,
·         Education and Training,
·         Healthcare,
·         Disability Services,
·         Children and Families,
·         Housing,
·         Criminal Justice,
·         Social and Financial Inclusion,
·         Community Development, and
·         Ageing.
The fund will finance activities which allow social ventures
to scale up, increase the impact they make, and generate
income to repay their loan with interest.
Expressions of Interest are currently being accepted.
There is no closing date.

Full details can be found on the Social and Sustainable Capital website

(Source: GRIN)

HERITAGE START UP GRANTS

This is a Heritage Lottery Fund scheme designed to support the creation of new organisations that will look after or engage people with heritage, or for existing groups to take on new responsibilities for heritage.
Not for profit groups and partnerships can apply for grants between £3,000 and £10,000.
Start-up grants can support the early stages of planning an organisation's activities.
For organisations not yet formally constituted, the grants can help to adopt the right governance structure.
For organisations further along in their development, a Start-up grant can also help explore options for managing and sustaining their heritage project in the future, or carrying out early scoping work to inform a future application for project funding.
Applications can be submitted at any time and will be assessed within eight weeks.
For further information, visit the Heritage Start-Up Grants webpage

(Source: GRIN)

PAVO OUTREACH 20-11-2014

Do you need some funding support?  Have you got an issue around governance?  Would you like to discuss potential project ideas?  Would your organisation like a health check?

Thursday 20th November 2014             Machynlleth                               10am – 2pm

To make an appointment please contact PAVO on 01597 822191 to book a place

Monday 3 November 2014

PAVO Outreach - 6th November 2014

PAVO OUTREACH SURGERY
Do you need some funding support?  Have you got an issue around governance?  Would you like to discuss potential project ideas?  Would your organisation like a health check?
Come along at meet with PAVO Development Officers on the following dates:
Thursday 6th November 2014               Builth Wells                              10am – 2pm
                                                
Venue - Builth Library
To make an appointment please contact PAVO on 01597 822191 to book a place.  We will be working our way round Powys, so watch this space for details of further events.  We hope to see as many of you as possible.  Don’t delay, book today!

Tidy Wales Awards - Extended Deadline for Applications


Keep Wales Tidy has extended the deadline for applications to the annual Tidy Wales Awards.

The Awards recognise the efforts of Welsh groups that work to restore their local environment and improve life in their communities.

Awards of £250 (with £50 of vouchers for each shortlisted entry) are available in each of the following categories:

   - River Improvement Award
   - Coastal Enhancement Award
   - Recycling Innovation Award
   - Community Transformation Award
   - Biodiversity Improvement Award
   - Cleaner Communities Awards
   - Eco-schools in the Community Award
   - Keep Wales Tidy Environmental Volunteer of the Year Award

All entries should be subject to activities that took place during 2014. The three finalists in each category will be invited to attend the award ceremony in Cardiff in January 2015.

The extended deadline for entries is 28 November 2014 (5pm).

http://www.keepwalestidy.org/tidy-wales-awards

Friday 17 October 2014

INSTITUTE OF FUNDRAISING EVENT


Be part of this exciting and informative fundraising day.

We asked Fundraisers in Wales which topics they would most like covered – here they are!
Tuesday 25th November 2014
Llety Cynin, Llangynin Rd, Carmarthen SA33 4JR

This day will offer delegates a holistic insight into fundraising exploring the issues associated with Corporate Fundraising, Fundraising via Social Media, and Legacy Fundraising and offering ways in which you can add to your portfolio of fundraising expertise.

We are extremely pleased to have:
Matt Howarth, Reason Digital on Social Media
Dr Claire Routley – Legacy Fundraising
Rachal Minchinton – Llamau – Community Fundraising
with Arfon Haines-Davies – Action Learning Set
We are looking forward to an exciting, informative event and hope to see you there.
10.30am – 3pm – Please arrive in plenty of time.
Tea & Coffee available from 10am.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK
£60 Individual Members of Institute of Fundraising /
£70 Non-Members
PRICE INCLUDES REFRESHMENTS AND LUNCH

Wednesday 15 October 2014

SPIRIT OF 2014 - FOURTEEN

Would you like to work with the Community Foundation in Wales to invest at least £175,000 on behalf of, with and for, your community over the next three years?
BACKGROUND
We’ve been commissioned by the Spirit of 2012 Trust to steward an Olympics legacy community investment programme in two communities in Wales.  We are looking for distinguishable communities with a population of between 5,000 – 25,000 people.  This could include, for example, a network of villages, a ward, a neighbourhood or a Communities First area.
 Spirit was established from the proceeds of the sale of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Village.  Spirit wants to empower people to get out, be involved and feel better.
 Building on the significant platform of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, Fourteen is a far-reaching and ambitious component of the Spirit programme.  Spirit will invest £3.5m to generate initiatives inspired by many aspects of the Commonwealth Games in 14 geographical communities across the UK, beginning in Glasgow and radiating across the UK to create a three year programme of community participation.
 The programme will extend the reach and legacy of the Games, connecting people and communities and increasing well-being.  The ethos and spirit of the Fourteen initiative will be community-led and seek to increase participation in one or more of the following activities, depending on community interest and need:
·         Social action and volunteering
·         Grassroots sport and physical activity
·         Cultural activity and the arts
·         Youth leadership and personal development
 The Community Foundation in Wales will work with each selected community over three years to:
1.      Set up a Community Panel
2.      Gain a clear understanding of community priorities and needs
3.      Run two community grant-making events
4.      Decide how best to spend a further £125,000 to spend within the community
5.      Attract even more funding
6.      Build relationships with partners and other Fourteen communities across the UK
 Please read the criteria for more information. 
      Someone needs to pull together an application form and send it to us by Monday 10th November. The nominator can be anyone living or working in the applicant community who represents organisations, community groups, partnerships, charities or forums.  Because only two Welsh communities can benefit, we have designed a fast timetable and an application and decision process which supports applicants in making their best case for support.



Tuesday 7 October 2014

People's Postcode Trust - Small Grants Programme Open for Applications from Scotland, Wales and Greater London

Registered charities, SCIOs, constituted voluntary and community groups, social enterprises, community interest companies (CIC), not-for-profit organisations and sports clubs are eligible to apply. Grants range from £500 to £20,000 for organisations in Scotland and England and up to £5,000 for those in Wales. 

Funding is available for projects that advance citizenship or community development. Advancing community development involves creating opportunities for the community to learn new skills and, by enabling people to act together, helps further social inclusion and equality.

The Trust is looking for projects that engage local communities and leaves a positive long term impact beyond the duration of funding. Priority will be given to projects that are focused on improving life for disadvantaged groups and encouraging their inclusion within society.

Projects that have a focus on sport, health, reducing poverty, environmental improvement or the advancement of human rights are still eligible for funding as long as they are strong in meeting the community development criterion.

The Fund is open to applications from Scotland, Wales and Greater London with a deadline of 7 November 2014.

http://www.postcodetrust.org.uk/small-grants.htm