MAKE BRADFORD HEALTHIER COMPETITION

Bradford and Airedale tPCT are looking for your ideas... they want to encourage local people to send in new ideas that will help improve health and wellbeing locally. The competition is open to individuals, community and voluntary groups, social enterprises and businesses in Bradford district.

"Ten shortlisted ideas will get the chance to discuss their idea with the competition judges on 17th November. Each presenter will get a cash prize of £50; further funding of up to £1,000 each may also be awarded to help some of the winners take the first steps to get their ideas moving."

For further details, see link below or telephone Georgina Bache on 01274 235543.

The competition can be entered online at:

http://www.brad.ac.uk/thinkbusiness/nhscomp/

or pick up a leaflet at your local community centre and return the short form to Community Development, B&A tPCT, Freepost RLZH-XTUZ-YAZK, Douglas Mill, Bradford BD5 7JR (no stamp needed).

The deadline for entries is: 31 October 2008.

FUNDING / MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES

Black History Month - small grants

Grants of up to £500 are available for running activities to celebrate and promote Black History Month (October). Applications should show how the project/activity will help achieve the key objectives of the district Cultural Strategy (http://www.bradford.gov.uk/government_politics_and_public_administration/local_government/cultural_strategy.htm).

For further information about the fund, please contact Bobsie Robinson at Bradford Council bobsie.robinson@bradford.gov.uk or telephone 01274 431922.

The deadline for applications is 31 July 2008.


Win a Barclays Premier League Player

A marketing/ funding opportunity:

If you can think of a way of involving a Barclays Premiership football player in promoting your group, then there is the opportunity to enter this competition to win a player's help for a day plus a £4,000 donation to your cause.

The competition is open to community groups, charities and schools.

The deadline for entries is Friday 1 August 2008.

For further information please visit http://www.premierleague.com/page/CreatingChances

ERDF WORKSHOP (17 JUNE 08)

ERDF workshop, Tuesday 17 June, 10am to 12pm

at the Design Exchange, Bradford

Groups interested in finding out more about the ERDF programme should consider attending this bfunded event.

The new programme is very different to previous ERDF programmes, hence the event title "Come and find out what you can’t do!"

Some of the issues to bear in mind include:

* Projects must have match funding
* In general, grant requests should be a minimum of £1 million ERDF
* Activity is much more targeted at Social Enterprise and supporting organisations to become Enterprising
* Ineligible activity includes Training, Jobs Brokerage, Advice and Guidance, generic Capacity Building
* Capital support is available however, expressions of interest must be with Yorkshire Forward by 30 June 2008 .

If you feel that you have the capacity to fulfil the above requirements or want to find potential partners, please come to the workshop. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions you may have about the programme.

If you would like to attend, please confirm your place by emailing Jasvinder Gill by 10 June, email:
jasvinder.gill@bradford.gov.uk.

You can view the application forms and documentation for the new ERDF programme at:
www.yorkshire-forward.com/ERDF

ACCESS TO NATURE MEETING (3 JUNE 08)

Access to Nature - BEF meeting 3rd June

Further information about Bradford Environmental Forum's (BEF) coordinated approach to the Access to Nature funding programme:

The next BEF meeting for groups in Bradford district who are interested in applying to Access to Nature is on 3rd June at 3.30pm at the Carlisle Business Centre in Bradford. At the last meeting on 8th April, four possible bids were discussed and the meeting on 3rd June will be an update as to how those bids are developing.

Groups interested in partnership possibilities for bidding or even just benefiting from outreach offered by organisations who are bidding e.g. being part of activities rather than the bid should contact Julia Pearson at BEES on 01274 513109.

If you would like to attend the meeting on the 3rd June, please get in touch with Julia Pearson at BEES on 01274 513109.

Information about the Access to Nature fund is available on the Natural England website at
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/leisure/grants-funding/outcomes.htm

PRACTICE BASED COMMISSIONING

The Who, What, Where, When and Why of Practice based Commissioning:

A conference for the Voluntary & Community Sector in Bradford and Airedale

17th June 2008 • 12.30 – 4.00pm • Great Victoria Hotel, Bradford

The introduction of Practice based Commissioning presents opportunities for the Voluntary and Community Sector to both provide and influence local services. Find out how at this half-day conference.

Winning contracts requires an understanding of the local commissioning priorities and the processes that drive it. This half-day conference will give delegates a clear understanding of:

• The Strategic and funding relationships between statutory bodies and the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) in the Bradford District
• The role of Bradford and Airedale tPCT as purchaser of services and the role of the VCS as the provider of services
• What Practice Based Commissioning is and how it works in the Bradford District
• The commissioning process, priorities and requirements
• The future role of the VCS in the design and delivery of tPCT services

The conference is an invaluable opportunity for VCS organisations to network with commissioning managers. This is a Bradford and Airedale district-wide event for voluntary sector organisations and community centres that deliver health activities or projects.

BOOKING
You must complete a booking form to reserve your place. Please do not just turn up on the day. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis. We will confirm your place on receipt of the booking form.

This conference is FREE to members of HealthNet (£25 to non-members). Membership of HealthNet is FREE.

You can join by indicating this on the booking form or contact us by phone: 01274 722772 or email: health@bradfordcvs.org.uk

HealthNet, Bradford CVS, Sunbridge Road, Bradford, BD1 2AY.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LEAFLET / BOOKING FORM

MYPLACE GRANTS FOR YOUTH FACILITIES

Myplace grants for youth facilities - programme launches 6 May

The Big Lottery Fund is managing a new programme on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) to work with young people to deliver youth facilities. Myplace will offer grants of between £1m and £5m. Projects must deliver on all four of the following outcomes:

1. More young people, parents and communities feel that young people have exciting and safe places to go in their leisure time where they can get involved in an attractive range of activities
2. More young people, particularly the most disadvantaged, participate in positive leisure time activities that support their personal and social development.
3. More young people have access to information, advice and support services from within places they feel comfortable.
4. Stronger partnership working between local authorities, third, private and public sector partners to plan, deliver and operate financially sustainable youth facilities with and for young people.

The programme will be launched on 6 May. Regional workshops are being held during May, with the Yorkshire and Humber event on the morning of Tuesday 13 May in Huddersfield.

More information is available from the BLF regional office in Leeds, tel: 0113 224 5301.

In Bradford District a strategic group is in place called the Youth Matters Next Steps Group. This group is within the Children & Young People's Strategic Partnership, has identified this funding and is preparing to bid. VCS representatives, including Kerr Kennedy from Bradford CVS, attend this group and will be promoting VCS interests.

VCS groups interested in putting forward a project to go into this partnership bid should contact Kerr as soon as possible with their ideas. It is likely that there will only be one bid from Bradford district.

Kerr Kennedy can be contacted at Bradford CVS on 01274 722772 or by email kerr@bradfordcvs.org.uk

An information leaflet on the fund can be viewed on the Big Lottery Fund website at:
http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_myplace.htm?regioncode=uk&status=theProg

BUDGETING FOR BIDS (20 May)

Budgets for Bids: Tuesday 20th May, Shipley Cellar Project

Not sure where to start with your funding application budget?

This half-day session will help groups new to creating budgets for funding bids and is taking place on Tuesday 20th May, 10am – 1pm at the Cellar Project, Shipley. The trainer is Fit4Funding.

Places are available to Bradford voluntary and community groups at a subsidised rate of £20 for this half-day session.

To help you budget for your project and activities the session will cover:
* Preparing a budget for a funding application
* Common budgeting mistakes and how to avoid them
* Estimating costs
* Identifying resources needed to deliver your project

To book a place please download a booking form from www.bradfordcvs.org.uk or telephone Diane Fox at Bradford CVS on 01274 722772

Further funding related courses, in Bradford and beyond are listed on the bfunded website at http://www.bfunded.org.uk/diary.php?month=05&year=2008

SWITCHED ON COMMUNITIES

Do you provide ICT services to your local community?
Do you have learners who find it difficult to use a computer?
Operate a mouse, keyboard or struggle to view the screen?
Do you have learners with disabilities?

AbilityNet are looking for voluntary and community organisations to join the Switched On Communities project within Yorkshire and Humber. 10x VCOs will each receive a mini kit of adaptive hardware and assistive software worth over £500.00. Up to 2 of your representatives will receive training on using the kit, plus the opportunity to receive further training on specialised subjects such as supporting learners with dyslexia, visual impairments, physical disabilities, etc.

You will receive support from AbilityNet and our Community Partner (Foresight, Grimsby). This includes advice, full assessments for individuals who need more specialised support and access to our equipment loan bank. We aim to increase the capacity of your organisation, your services, your staff and volunteers to better support your local community.

If you would like to join the Switched on Communities project or would like more information, please contact Vihing Lee, E: vihing.lee@abilitynet.org.uk M: 07939 926361.

Web: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk

EVENT/FUNDING - SINGLE ISSUE GROUPS (15 May)

Consultation event, single issue group funding 15 May 2008

From the Regional Forum's website:

Cohesion Guidance for Funders / Consultation Event for BME, LGBT, Age, Disability, Religion & Women’s Specialist Third Sector Organisations

Last summer the Commission on Integration and Cohesion published a report, ‘Our Shared Future’. One of the recommendations was around what it termed ‘Single Group Funding’ (defined as that ‘awarded on the basis of particular identity, such as ethnic, religious or cultural’). This stated that ‘single group funding should be the exception rather than the rule for both Government and external funders’.

This led many organisations to respond to the Single Group Funding issue requesting a rethink and clarification as the recommendation’s impact, put at risk the funding of frontline organisations working with particular groups from a single identity. The Department for Communities and Local Government as part of its response to this report has produced the Cohesion Guidance for Funders which it is now consulting on.

The aim of this events is to shape the National Equality Partnership’s (NEP) response to this guidance by providing us with your views on how these recommendations would impact on your organisation’s work and what do we need to ensure is part of the guidance for it to be fair and appropriate.

To book a place or for more information, email ubc@unityha.co.uk

FUNDING - BRITISH GAS ENERGY TRUST

Tackling Fuel Debt, organisational grants, deadline 16 May 08.

Applications are invited from voluntary organisations in the following areas (identified by the Government indices of deprivation): England - Yorkshire & Humber, Liverpool, Nottingham; Scotland – Borders; Wales - South Wales.

The Energy trust is looking for applications that:

(i) establish, extend or develop the provision of free and impartial debt counselling/money advice services and/or
(ii) provide education in the prevention of debt.

Applications can only be accepted from voluntary sector organisations/registered charities, and not-for-profit organisations. The 2008 round of grants will be for up to two years funding.

The trustees are particularly interested in making grants for innovative projects that provide free and impartial money advice services to householders in debt that:

* target fuel poverty and/or fuel debt
* assist in the production of accurate personal financial statements
* raise awareness of priority and non-priority debts
* negotiate with creditors and/or assist with direct negotiations
* provide clients with independent advice in the areas of housing law, social security benefits, energy efficiency etc
* provide support and guidance through the effects of a wide range of life challenges
* educate debtors in the area of financial rights and responsibilities
* will be able to demonstrate that financial advice has had a positive input and impact on the clients’ situation.

The trust anticipates that the majority of grants will be for under £33,000 per annum. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 16 May 2008.

Questions about the fund can be sent to:

Allyson Broadhurst, Trust Relationship Manager T: 01733 421021 E: Allysonbroadhurst@charisgrants.com

For further information and an application form visit:

http://www.britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/organisational_grants

or if you need a large print copy ring 01733 421021.

FUNDING - CHURCH & COMMUNITY FUND

Church and Community Fund (Church of England only)

Capital and/or revenue funding is available for projects that seek to strengthen the relationship between a church and the local community, activity should benefit the Church locally and as a whole. Projects must ‘promote, aid and further the work of the Church of England’. The guidance explains: "This does not exclude Anglican projects in partnership with ecumenical or other-faith partners... but it does exclude projects run by secular bodies which have little or no connection to the Church of England and projects in which an Anglican body is not a key player at a local level."

The maximum grant is £15,000. Grants may be awarded on a ‘one-off’ basis or, for revenue projects, the total awarded may be phased over a number of years (usually three). The Fund is sometimes able to offer loans on favourable terms instead of grants.

The deadlines for 2008 are 6th May, 13th August and 5th November.

For further information and an application form visit:
http://www.churchandcommunityfund.org.uk or email ccf@c-of-e.org.uk

KEY FUND FOR SOCIAL BUSINESSES

Can Key Fund be a part of your story…?

The Key Fund is offering support packages of between £1,000 and £50,000 to social businesses working in disadvantaged communities in Yorkshire and Humberside.

Are you:

* A Community and voluntary organisation seeking to develop ideas for generating your own income
* An Individual or a group starting up a Social Enterprise
* A Social Enterprise looking to grow and develop
* A Social Firm that employs a significant number of staff with a disability, and uses income generated from the provision of goods/services to pursue your social mission
* A Credit Union or other community saving & credit scheme
* A Cooperative, where a group of individuals with shared economic, social and cultural goals have formed a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise

Please follow the link below for more details on the support offered by the Key Fund.

http://www.keyfundyorks.org.uk/UserFiles/File/ProductTable.pdf

For more information and to see if you are eligible please call 0845 140 1400
Email: info@keyfundyorks.org.uk
Web: www.keyfundyorks.org.uk

BACKING THE BEST

"Backing the best" Community Enterprise support - grant/loan package

Backing the best
Yorkshire Forward has launched a one-year pilot to help community enterprises grow through a package of grants and loans. The project's purpose is to see whether such mixed finance, combined with business advice, can help the transition to commercial trading.

What's on offer?
A grant of up to £60K that needs to be matched by at least an equal amount of loan (not other grants) + assistance with business planning.

Who can apply?
Community enterprises in West Yorkshire with some track record. A community enterprise is defined as an independent enterprise that is accountable to a geographical community (like a Development Trust) or community of interest (e.g. disability)

In each of the five West Yorkshire districts we are looking for about three applicants and would hope to support one or two in each district.

What will the money support?
A business proposition that has the prospect of continuing without grants within three years. This might be for the organisation as a whole or a particular trading venture. The activity can already be underway if the plan shows a transition from grant dependence to self-sufficiency.

The grant can support both capital and revenue activity.

What help can I get with the application?
The Camberwell Project will help eligible applicants assemble a business plan, find the match finance and look at alternative business models if necessary.

How do I become an eligible applicant?
Those interested in applying should contact Kristy Swift at The Camberwell Project. They will be asked to submit a simple two-sided business plan which, supplemented with a discussion with Camberwell, will enable the Steering Group to judge whether the application should go forward.

All interested community enterprises should have registered with Kristy by the end of April.

What else do I need to know?
Grant /loan approvals should be made by October 08
Capital grant needs to be spent by March 09
Revenue grant spent by December 09 -State Aid rules will apply
The Grant will be paid on a monthly claims basis from Yorkshire Forward under their terms and conditions.

Steering group
Backing the Best is run by a partnership consisting of Yorkshire Forward, the Development Trusts Association, Charity Bank, The Camberwell Project and representatives of the five districts. Camberwell administer the pilot and provide consulting support.

CONTACT:

Kristy Swift
The Camberwell Project, 231-235 Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7 3DX.
E: kristy.swift@camberwellproject.co.uk
T: 0870 851 8677 M: 07718 982546.

COMMISSIONING & PROCUREMENT (28 April 2008)

Monday 28 April, Mabel Booth Room at Bradford CVS
Trainer: Fit4Funding

Commissioning and procurement are rapidly becoming a preferred way of funding the voluntary sector for many public sector organisations such as Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts. This session will give groups an overview with details on how purchasers (funders) work in practice.

This session will cover:
What is procurement and commissioning all about?
What are the pros and cons for voluntary organisations?
How does it work in practice?
Preparing for tenders - what you need to do.

For further details or to book a place please contact:
Diane at CVS Training on T: 01274 722772 or E: training@bradfordcvs.org.uk or visit the training part of the BCVS website at www.bradfordcvs.org.uk and download a booking form.

There is a charge for this workshop of £40 for VCS groups in the Bradford District, £80 for VCS groups outside Bradford District and £80 for Statutory Organisations. Small voluntary groups with a turnover of less than £10,000 per year may be eligible for a training bursary towards the cost of this or other CVS training courses. Please contact Diane on T: 01274 722772.