Goodbye from Kate…….

Hi All,

My last day with the Gio Project will be 31st Jan 2012, as the very next day I’ll be starting with 4CT Ltd, as  the Volunteer Co-ordinator for the Get Experienced Project in North and East Manchester.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working at Gio and meeting all the inspirational people still beavering away in Manchester and Stockport’s VCS. Times are hard for us all in this sector right now, but our resiliance, passion and dedication will see us through to a happier future.

Warm regards,

RESEARCH – Volunteer Centre Manchester

Does your organisation need some specific assistance?  Volunteer Centre Manchester may be able to help?
 
We are involved in a piece of development work with Volunteering England as part of our Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA).  As part of this, we would like to pilot specific forms of support with two organisations in Manchester before the end of February:
 
Ideally, we would like to work with:
 
a)         A community group* interested in increasing the variety of volunteer opportunities that they offer.
b)         A community group* who need support in developing volunteering opportunities.
 
*  A community group sets its activities on a local or community level, usually small, modestly funded and largely dependant on voluntary, rather than paid, effort(e.g. St Charles Church Maintenance Group or Friends of Hadfield Hall i.e. not in receipt of Big Lottery Funding, contracts from City Council etc).
 
What’s in it for you?
We will work with you as a priority from now and during February on a small project that will help your organisation.
What is your commitment?
a)         That you are able to commit to working with us in a short timescale.
b)         That you be available to have a conversation (telephone) with a Quality Assessor from
Volunteering England after February.
 
Are you interested? Or know a group who would be?
Talk to Jen Halfpenny Volunteer Centre Manchester on 0161 834 9823 or e-mail jen@macc.org.uk Tuesday 31^st January.

Henry Moore Foundation

The Henry Moore Foundation supports a wide variety of arts projects through its grants programme. Grants are awarded quarterly.

The Henry Moore Foundation awards grants in six categories: New Projects; Collections; Research and Development; Fellowships for artists; Conferences, lectures and publications; Post-doctoral research fellowships.

The Foundation’s grants programme is focussed on specific objectives. It is
the Trustees’ policy to support all aspects of the arts in which Henry Moore
himself was engaged, e.g. sculpture, drawing and print-making.

The Foundation supports organisations, institutions, museums and galleries in the United Kingdom.

For further application criteria and how to apply please visit:-

http://www.henry-moore.org/grants/applying-for-a-grant1/make-an-application

The grants committee meet quarterly and the deadlines for 2012 are:-

4 April 2012 (24 February 2012)

3 July 2012 (23 May 2012)

16 October 2012 (7 September 2012)

23 January 2013 (28 November 2012)
Applications should be received BEFORE the deadline date (which is noted in brackets above).

Hedley Foundation

The main objective of the Trustees’ grant-making is to assist and encourage development and change.  It follows that most grants will be of capital or one-off nature, but the Trustees sometimes agree to help fund the introduction of new and innovative projects with a series of up to 3 annual grants.  Few grants exceed £5,000 and most of them go to charities where they can make an impact.  We do not support large or national appeals.

Applications for grants should be made on the application form available on the website

The application form should be downloaded, completed in typescript, printed off and sent by post to:

Mrs Pauline Barker, The Hedley Foundation, 1-3 College Hill, London EC4R 2RA Email: pbarker@hedleyfoundation.org.uk

 and should be accompanied by your e-mail address or a self-addressed envelope (not necessarily stamped).
The Trustees meet six times a year. The closing date for a meeting is three weeks beforehand.

In 2012, the Trustees will meet on the following dates: 25th January; 14th March; 16th May; 18th July; 26th September; 21st November

All applications will be acknowledged, but, in the case of those short-listed, not until after they have been considered by the Trustees.
Last year the Foundation received 1,467 applications, of which less than two-thirds were within our criteria. They made 348 grants (averaging £3,000). Applicants should not be surprised or too disappointed if they are unsuccessful.

Main objective (currently about 70% of the Foundation’s budget)

… Continue Reading

Nationwide Foundation – Small Grants

Grants are made to registered UK charities (including those in Northern Ireland) which offer financial and / or housing related support to:

•survivors of domestic abuse
•older people

If you think your charity’s work might fit the above criteria please see the funding criteria/guidelines for detailed information about the types of work that they will support.

The Small Grants Programme offers grants of up to £5,000 to registered charities with incomes of under £750,000.

Charities who wish to apply to the Foundation must be registered with one of the following:

• the Charity Commission for England and Wales
• the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
• HM Revenue & Customs – for charities in Northern Ireland
• HM Revenue & Customs – for those charities with a turnover of under £5,000

For further detailed guidelines on applying to the programme please visit:-

http://www.nationwidefoundation.org.uk/grants.asp

Corporate Charity Connections

At the moment many charities are looking to forge new partnerships in the private sector, hoping to benefit from an increased profile and influence. Private organisations are similarly keen to get involved with the charitable sector, with many employing staff specifically for the fulfilment of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives. CorporateCharityConnections.com is helping to make these links between the charity and private sectors.

The site is primarily aimed at private sector professionals (CSR, social responsibility, corporate responsibility) who are looking for strategic charity partners. Charities have the opportunity to post short videos talking about what they have to offer corporate partners on a strategic, business level. The site also features a selection of best practice case studies on areas such as volunteering, corporate social responsibility and marketing to provide useful food-for-thought.

If you are a charity … Continue Reading

ACEVO produce report calling for rehabilitation reform

ACEVO, the association of voluntary sector leaders, recently produced a report encouraging the government to implement a more progressive rehabilitation agenda.

The report looks at current issues within the prison and criminal justice system, such as the high rates of re-offending, the difficulties of re-integrating offenders into society, and the challenges posed by the process of tendering and commissioning for rehabilitation services. The report makes a number of recommendations, such as:

- Redeploying resources to focus more on rehabilitating offenders

- Putting support in place to ensure that prisoners are ‘set up’ with access to … Continue Reading

Netroots North West – 18th Feb 12pm – 5pm

The Netroots UK project will be getting together 100 activists and campaigners from across the North West and beyond, for an afternoon of shared learning, ideas and debates.

Netroots UK events are a space for left and centre-left activists and campaigners to build skills and contacts, both individually and collectively as a movement.

It’s a great chance to get practical training in campaign skills or digital technologies, as well as to take part in discussions on campaign strategies, and hear about upcoming developments and challenges for activists.

You can book online now to reserve your place. The afternoon takes place at Manchester University, 12 noon to 5pm. Tickets (strictly limited) are £5, or free to unwaged/student participants.

If you’re a trade unionist, anti-cuts campaigner, environmentalist, political supporter, equality activist, tax campaigner, or anyone interested in left and centre left politics and issues, join us and others at Netroots North West to learn … Continue Reading

North West Social Enterprises set to benefit from ERDF grant

The Social Enterprise Loan Fund (TSELF) wants to hear from North West social/community enterprises with innovative business ideas after being awarded money by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

 The ERDF funding will enable TSELF to provide loans of up to £50,000 for social/community enterprises across the region as part of the Government’s ‘Solutions for Business’ scheme. N.B. We can accommodate applications up to £250,000 for the right proposal, meeting the difference from TSELF’s own funds.

Sir Howard Bernstein, Vice Chair of the North West European Regional Development Fund Local Monitoring Committee, said: “The Social Enterprise Loan Fund has the potential to make a huge difference to organisations unable to secure sufficient funding from mainstream sources.

“With a particular focus on supporting enterprises operating in disadvantaged areas, this fund can provide a major boost to localities, communities and people who need it the most by safeguarding jobs and creating employment opportunities.”

Roy White, North West Regional Director at TSELF, said: “The work of social/community enterprises is invaluable. This is a vibrant sector in the North West which we want to see grow. The grant from the ERDF is a great boost, and we are looking forward to working with more social enterprises and charities across the region.

“We are particularly keen to hear from organisations that are exploiting innovation and knowledge. We have the funds available to support innovative enterprise ideas which can be translated into economically valuable products and processes, generating turnover, market share and new employment opportunities.”

Tel:01829 261019 Mob: 07941 284299 Email: roy@tself.org.uk

*New* Web Services Survey – 20th Jan 2012

The Office for Civil Society (OCS) in the Cabinet Office and the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) are running a joint survey to seek views on how the web is used by civil society organisations to access advice and support, funding information and networking opportunities. BIG and OCS have decided to do this short piece of learning work together because we have a shared interest in hearing the views of both suppliers and users. We want to know how online services help organisations build learning, and develop skills and capabilities. This survey will help us build on the findings of the Supporting Civil Society consultation which OCS ran from October 2010-January 2011.

Here are some questions and answers  which you might find helpful. The survey should take no more than fifteen minutes to complete and will close on Friday 20 January 2012. We are very grateful for the time you spend in completing this.