Funding

On the 23rd May, The Big Lottery Fund launched The Improving Financial Confidence programme, a £30 million fund for projects in England aimed at helping individuals and families avoid financial difficulty. 

On behalf of the North East Trust Secretaries Group, an informal network that the Community Foundation convenes, they have produced a collective statement setting out charitable funders' role in response to the public sector cuts. The purpose is to manage expectations, both those of grant applicants and those of public bodies who may all-too-easily assume we can step in to fill gaps.The statement follows:

The Transition Fund has been launched today. This £100m fund was announced in the spending review and seeks to help small and medium-sized charities in England most vulnerable to short-term reductions in public spending. It is being administered by the Big Fund (the non-lottery funding arm of the Big Lottery Fund). For more details on the fund visit the Big Fund's Transition Fund pages at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/transitionfund

VONNE would like your help in completing a survey to measure the impact of the economic downturn and the public sector spending cuts on the North East's third sector. [The third sector includes voluntary and community organisations, groups, charities, social enterprises, mutuals, or co-operatives]. Tell us what impact it is having on:

The Department of Health is launching a new Volunteer Fund, to support health volunteering.  There are two  2 distinct grant funding schemes: a local grant scheme aimed at supporting volunteering in health and social care and a national portfolio scheme for national organisations invited to apply for more substantial awards or to deliver more strategic or developmental programmes.  Applications for the fund will open in January 2010 with the first round being for local projects, followed by a second round later in the year which will support a national scheme.

The BRIT Trust supports activities that encourage young people in the exploration and pursuit of educational, cultural or therapeutic benefits emanating from music.

The Fund will support charities and voluntary & community groups running projects to help disadvantaged young people in Northumberland to overcome the barriers of a successful transition to adulthood. Projects will be for young people aged 13-19 (and aged up to 25 if special needs).  Priority will be given to projects serving isolated communities.

Young Roots is a grant programme that engages a wide range of young people 13-20 year-olds (up to 25 for those with special needs) with their heritage. Applications are invited from projects that will help young people develop skills, build confidence and connect with their local community.