Community Business Newsletter- October 2023

Contents:

1. New grant and blended finance opportunities delivered by CWCDA and CWRT
2. Future Economy Alliance
3. Cooperative and Mutual Economy Report
4. New report estimates £1 billion public funding cut to charities
5. Funding for Defibrillators in Community Spaces
6. Suggest a location for a new electric vehicle charging point (Warwickshire)
7. Community Ownership Fund

1. New grant and blended finance opportunities delivered by CWCDA and CWRT

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Access Programme, funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment and delivered by a partnership between Coventry and Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust and CWCDA.

The Access Programme’s primary focus is to help local charities and social enterprises deliver enterprise-based activities (income generation, investment to reduce costs, etc) designed to support those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis. Organisations will be able to apply for grants or blended finance (grant and debt) to scale up their enterprise models or to diversify and root their service models in enterprise activity. Funds must be used to meet the growing demand for essential services such as food and emergency supplies, warm spaces and emergency shelter, financial and housing advice, essential transport, safe housing, safe spaces such as domestic abuse services and youth services, etc.

The programme is open to social enterprises and charities based within

Coventry, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Worcestershire and Staffordshire. Organisations based in or delivering services in areas of multiple deprivation are particularly encouraged to apply.

Funding Range: Grants range from a minimum of £5,000 to a maximum of £7,500.

Blended Finance: A unique opportunity for organisations to receive a grant that can be combined with a loan at low interest rates, resulting in a total maximum investment of £60,000. A minimum grant of £10,000 to a maximum of £20,000 can be combined with loans ranging from a minimum of £20,000 to a maximum of £40,000.

Eligible applicants will also receive additional support in the form of:
Health Check Review: A 1-hour online session delivered by CWCDA to assess organisational readiness and impact.

Peer-to-Peer network: The opportunity to join an online network of like-minded organisations aiming to make a real difference to people facing the cost-of-living crisis.

We invite you to visit the Access Programme page for more details and where you can complete an initial enquiry form with no obligation: https://www.cwrt.uk.com/access-programme

2. Future Economy Alliance

A group of national sector infrastructure bodies, including ACCESS (see above,) have established the Future Economy Alliance to campaign for a stronger, fairer, greener economic climate for the UK and to build “an economy where our entire society profits.

https://www.futureeconomyalliance.co.uk/

3. Cooperative and Mutual Economy Report

Coops UK have published their annual report on the Cooperative and Mutual Economy with a new focus on “the democratic economy.”

Memberships of the UK’s co-operatives, mutuals, building societies and employee-owned enterprises now surpasses 74 million people.

See: https://www.uk.coop/resources/co-operative-and-mutual-economy-2023

4. New report estimates £1 billion public funding cut to charities

The Charity Excellence Framework is estimating that charities are facing a £1 billion cut in public funding. There is a summary here:

https://www.charityexcellence.co.uk/Home/BlogDetail?Link=Charity_Cost_Of_Living_Crisis&dm_i=6MG6,VPUR,1GCOYY,3WCS9,1

5. Funding for Defibrillators in Community Spaces

Organisations are being invited to bid for a share of £1 million of government funding to buy life-saving defibrillators for community spaces like town halls, local parks or post offices.

https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/dhsc-community-automated-external-defibrillator-aed-fund-1?

6. Suggest a location for a new electric vehicle charging point (Warwickshire)

You can request or suggest a location for an EV charging point in Warwickshire here:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=BqqwiCdZu0uok4nMJxOsggWAQybZlLFLvvdy6xvOGDlUM0hHTUFPNVpBQkg3UlI2VU1LR1JDWkNBUyQlQCN0PWcu

7. Community Ownership Fund

The £150 million Community Ownership Fund aims to ensure that local people across the UK can support and continue benefiting from treasured local institutions whose future may be in doubt.

The latest round is due to close but you can make an expression of interest at any time:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/community-ownership-fund-prospectus/community-ownership-fund-prospectus–3