Funding for Community Groups Tips for effective funding bids

1
(No Transcript)
2
Funding for Community Groups - Tips for
effective funding bids
Pat Buchanan Bid Appraisal Advisor
3
Tips for effective funding bids

• Introduction
• Pat Buchanan employed by Community Matters,
  supporting the work of the Asset Transfer Unit.
• Case study examples, from a funders perspective,
  are centred around assets, but the learning
  applies to the whole range of funding bids.
• Examples are from a rural area - every area has
  its own specific issues, advantages and funding
  opportunities.

4
Tips for effective funding bids

• Workshop overview
• Includes-
• the funding history of four case studies and
  learning from them
• researching funding opportunities
• developing funding strategies
• preparing for funding bids
• planning
• effective bids and relationships with funders

5
Tips for effective funding bids
Case studies
The Mill on the Green
Bringing an old building back into community use.
View from the bridge
6
Tips for effective funding bids
View from the road
7
Tips for effective funding bids
Restoration of the mill wheel Originally used
to generate power for milling corn, tanning and
iron making now used to generate electricity.

8
Tips for effective funding bids
View from the tearoom
Income to be generated by tearoom, craft
workshops, meeting room, office to let and
electricity generation.
9
Tips for effective funding bids

• The Mill from a funders perspective
• An interesting and exciting project, saving an
  old building
• with historical, community and tourist uses
• Issues -
• Committee skills and capacity
• Effective communication between funder and
  project
• The situation of the funding body
• Terms and conditions of the purchase contract
  (lease)
• A well researched, sound and credible business
  plan showing future sustainability.
• Funding - 50,000 raised locally
• 350,000 from the MTI (via the RDA - AWM) and
  238,000 EU funding via Shropshire tourism.

10
Tips for effective funding bids
Other issues around listed buildings
11
Tips for effective funding bids

• Other issues around listed buildings
• Listed building consent part of planning
  permission
• Renewing and replacing unsuitable structures
  previously added but not in keeping
• Realistic uses of building which are acceptable
  to the community and retain the character of the
  building.
• Issues
• Governance
• Raising enough capital to bring the building up
  to
• standard
• Generation of sufficient income
• Commitment to appropriate marketing.

12
Tips for effective funding bids

• Be prepared!
• Make sure your organisation is in good shape.
• Think about -
• legal structure
• governance
• vision
• capacity
• meeting community needs.

13
Tips for effective funding bids

• Be prepared
• Formulate an effective Plan
• Research and be aware of funding streams and
  opportunities
• Use local knowledge
• Develop and use a funding strategy
• Build a strategy around a range of funders, large
  small
• Consider the application process
• Be ready to measure outputs and outcomes.

14
Tips for effective funding bids

• Be prepared to
• Beat the deadlines
• Highlight your successes tell the tale
• Manage the people
• Manage the project
• Have strong systems of recording finance in place
• Have a Plan B.

15
Hints and Tips for Funding Bids
A tale of two communities

• 7 year SRB programme established.
• Lead body Housing Association supported by
  CVS, churches.
• Focus on area 1 area 2 the whole local town
  area 3 another deprived community 10 miles away.

16
Tips for effective funding bids

• A tale of two communities
• Funding programme set up with external initiative
  around a deprived community.
• Pleasant centre well placed initially a wide
  range of activity served the whole community.
• External leadership eroded over time.
• Community committee weak, lacking skills.
• Key staff followed own interests.
• Single purpose extension built.
• Negative and discouraging attitude.
• Community no longer the focus of successor body
  building empty quiet.

17
Hints and Tips for Funding Bids
Underused single purpose extension
18
Tips for effective funding bids
Peripheral community centre
In funding zone 3 a white elephant peripheral
to both zones 1 and 2 and away from the centre of
the town.
19
Tips for effective funding bids

• An underused, poorly planned centre with part
  time management and a long serving committee of
  trustees.
• Applied for funding from the successor body for
  a full time manager.
• MHCT agreed funding for 3 years with conditions
  review of constitution, renew trustees
  regularly and a well researched business plan.
• Now the centre has a full time manager, has just
  been extended and refurbished including a fully
  equipped IT room and a café. It is still funded
  by MHCT which has attracted substantial
  additional funding. It is transformed a real
  community centre.

20
Tips for effective funding bids
New community facilities
21
Tips for effective funding bids
New entrance and entrance hall
22
Tips for effective funding bids

• New entrance hall and display area

23
Tips for effective funding bids

• Funders
• European Union
• Sport England
• Advantage West Midlands
• Rural Regeneration Zone
• South Shropshire District Council
• Marches Housing Charitable Trust
• Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

24
Tips for effective funding bids

• Learning arising from the two centres
• Leadership from within ?
• Committee skills
• Staffing issues
• Attitude and approach of staff and trustees
• Governance documents Constitution
• Relationship with funders International,
  regional, and local opportunities
• Vision supported by a sound business plan.

25
Tips for effective funding bids

• Funding Opportunities
• Personalisation agenda
• Service provision
• Worklessness agenda
• Social Enterprise Investment Fund
• Specialist funding streams - young people older
  people green issues open spaces heritage
  tourism
• Community involvement/need.

26
Tips for effective funding bids

• And something else to think about.
• Raising funds from the local community through
  community share and bond issues see DTA
  website
• Raising funds from local wealthy individuals
• Registering with the charity websites Charity
  Giving or Justgiving, the Virgin website.

27
Tips for effective funding bids

• Sources of Guidance and support
• Community Matters information sheets advice line
  0845 847 4253 and consultancy training
• DTA ATU (Development Trusts Association and
  Asset Transfer Unit)
• www.fundingcentral.org.uk
• NCVO
• KnowHow Non-Profit
• Local CVSs

28
Tips for effective funding bids

• Support from Funders and others
• Big Lottery
• Esmée Fairbairn Trust
• Business Link
• Finance Hub
• Local funds.

29
Tips for effective funding bids

• In more detail
• Preparing good funding applications tips for
  funding bids a Community Matters document.
• and.
• FREE Business Plan and Funding Bid Appraisal
  Service from the Asset Transfer Unit
• 0845 345 4564

Pat Buchanan Bid Appraisal Advisor
pat.buchanan_at_communitymatters.org.uk
30
(No Transcript)