The Community Business Fund from independent trust, Power to Change, will reopen on Tuesday, 11 September, offering grants between £50,000 and £300,000 to community businesses in England trading for the benefit of and accountable to their local communities.
This is the sixth round of the Community Business Fund, which has to date supported over 90 organisations in England to become more financially sustainable. From farms to libraries, canal moorings to cinemas, the Community Business Fund supports a wide range of community businesses, which all operate in a way that delivers positive social impact. The announcement comes in the wake of the Government’s new Civil Society Strategy launch, aimed at supporting the growth of local communities’ financial and social capital.
Colette Harvey, Programme Manager at Power to Change, said: “We’re very excited to make a further £2.5m available to community businesses and aim to support 15 more organisations through this next round of funding.”
Community businesses are doing exceptional work at delivering more cohesive local communities and a stronger civil society. We look forward to receiving a broad range of applications from a wide variety of places and sectors.
– Colette HarveyHead of Open Programmes
After opening on September 11, community businesses will have until midday on Tuesday 9 October to apply. Organisations are encouraged to read the guidance for the fund before making an application and to sign up to the Power to Change newsletter to be kept informed as to when the online application form goes live. Grant awards will be made to the successful organisations at the start of 2019.
Power to Change will host a webinar on 13 September to give hopeful applicants an overview of the fund and its eligibility criteria. This is also a great opportunity for community businesses to ask any questions they might have about the application process. Register for the webinar here.
There will be further rounds of the Community Business Fund, with the next application window open in early 2019.
BE Group, Power to Change’s grant partner for the Community Business Fund, can answer any questions applicants have about this fund either by phone 0300 1240444 or via email cbf@be-group.co.uk, or webchat https://www.powertochange.org.uk/funding/grants/community-business-fund/.
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NOTES to editors
1. For more information please contact: Alex Valk alexv@www.powertochange.org.uk or Mark Gordon on 020 3857 7290 markg@www.powertochange.org.uk
2. Power to Change is an independent trust, whose funding is used to strengthen community businesses across England. At a time when many parts of the UK face cuts, neglect and social problems, we are helping local people come together to take control, and make sure their local areas survive and stay vibrant. https://www.powertochange.org.uk/
3. Follow Power to Change on Twitter at @peoplesbiz and visit www.powertochange.org.uk/ for the latest community business news.