Power to Change’s Initial Grants Programme closed last week, with a promising pipeline of more than 700 applications to assessIt opened in May this year, specifically designed to help existing community businesses in a position to significantly progress towards long term sustainability within six months. By the end of the programme we aim to have provided £9 million of funding and support to businesses across England.
“We’ve received applications from some truly inspiring community businesses with huge potential to have positive local economic and social impact,” says Kate Stewart, Director of Initial Grants Programme for Power to Change. “We need to make sure we distribute grants and support to have the most impact on the community business sector. It’s incredibly difficult to choose who gets funding and who doesn’t, especially when everyone puts so much effort into applying. ”
“Although the Initial Grants Programme is now closed, we still have decisions to make and grants to give out, before the next round of funding in early 2016. We’ll also be assessing the programme to help improve our reach and expand the community business portfolio we support.”
Find out more about what we have funded so far and read about some of our grantees’ inspiring community businesses. To find out about upcoming funding programmes in 2016, sign up to our newsletter and follow @peoplesbiz on Twitter.