by Nakhat Zahir (Funding Advice Worker)
14 July 2009
Communitybuilders is a £70m government programme (delivered by a consortium lead by Adventure Capital Fund) which aims to help build more cohesive, engaged and active communities through investment in community-led organisations(sometimes referred to as community anchors) looking to develop long term viability. Interested organisations will be able to apply for loans and grants, and have access to expert support and mentoring services.
These organisations:
provide a place for community activites to take place
run local services
stimulate community involvement and enterprise
generate independent sources of income
Communitybuilders will benefit around 300 organisations across England, with many more sharing the best practice lessons.
What types of organisations will Communitybuilders support?
Community controlled by local residents and/or representative of local groups
Address their neighbourhood's needs in a multi-purpose, holistic way
Inclusive of all sections of their community, including marginalised groups
Empowering by facilitating and supporting the community development and enterprise in their area
Provide a voice for their community
The following organisations may be considered eligble:
Community centres
Multi-purpose settlements and social action centres
Development trusts and community enterprises
Building preservation trusts
Community land trusts
Types of funding available
There will be three main types of funding and support available:
Pre-feasibility: support grants and advisory services to improve governance and management capacity, strengthen financial systems, foster partnerships and provide coaching and mentoring.
Feasibility: to bring proposals to full investment readiness and sustain organisations through the development process.
Capital investment: through a mix of financial and funding tools, develop, improve and acquire assets and enterprise to secure financial stability.
Organisations can enter at any stage in the above as we understand that some proposals will be more developed than others
We will look to support organisations that are looking to increase their financial stability and their social impact
The programme recognises that different needs and opportunities exist in different areas and we will not dictate a standardised or catch-all model of sustainability to end-users
About the funding
The fund will provide a mixture of grants and loans.
We want anchor organisations to move away from grant dependency and consider other ways of financing themselves.
Communitybuilders investments will be based on patient capital approaches. We will work with organisations to create a tailor-made package that will help them travel the long and challenging road to sustainability.
Want to apply?
Register your interest by phoning 0191 261 5200.
www.communitybuildersfund.org.uk
