Smart Resources

CAN Mezzanine - Offices for the Third Sector

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:20:00 GMT

CAN Mezzanine provides affordable high-quality office space for the third sector for only £333 per month per desk. Sold on a flexible desk basis, the space includes access to meeting and conference rooms, a full-time receptionist, post room facilities, full stocked kitchens and regular networking and social events, at no extra charge. We currently have three central London sites in London Bridge, Southwark and Old Street

See the community space for yourself, visit www.canmezzanine.org.uk or call Claire on 020 7250 8001 (Old Street), Martina on 020 7922 7702 or Stephanie on 020 7785 6212.

Charity no. 1104911”

Free video-making service for charities

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:30:00 GMT

Students from the University of Westminster offer to make films during the summer break

Students from the University of Westminster are offering to make free videos for charities in their spare time this summer.

The students, who specialise in TV production and have taken a course on how to make campaigning and fundraising films for charities and voluntary groups, will produce films lasting between 30 seconds and six minutes for small charities that could not otherwise afford to make promotional videos.

The charities will be allowed to use the films on their own websites and on social networking sites.

Ged Maguire, a senior lecturer in TV production at the University of Westminster, said students wanted to give their time free of charge in order to gain experience.

"Charities can approach us with their requirements and we will work with their marketing departments," he said. "The charities will be given full editorial approval."

He said the students would prefer to work with London-based charities, and were free between now and August.

Charities interested in taking up the offer should contact Maguire at g.maguire@westminster.ac.uk.

Update on new Ministerial roles

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:21:00 GMT

In the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) the new Small Businesses Minister, chartered surveyor Mark Prisk, will take responsibility for the construction industry. He is MP for Hertford and Stortford.

Nick Hurd is Minister for Civil Society within the newly named Office for Civil Society – formerly the Office of the Third Sector. The Government has appointed Greg Clark to the position of Minister of State for Decentralisation - a new role within the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG). Clark is Conservative MP for Tunbridge Wells and author of the book Total Politics, which was critical of the alleged over-centralisation of power by the previous Labour Government.

Baroness Hanham, a Conservative peer and President of Volunteering England, has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary of State in CLG. Lib Dem MP Andrew Stunnel, a former architect, is CLG Minister responsible for the Big Society and community cohesion.

From Heritage Update - www.theheritagealliance.org.uk

The Alliance urges cross-departmental push for heritage in the Star Chamber

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:17:00 GMT

The framework for the autumn spending review published by the Government on Tuesday (8 June) aims to provide a new Whitehall system for making spending cuts as fair as possible. A new star chamber, chaired by the Chancellor, will scrutinise every department’s budget plans. A Spending Review Challenge Group made up of experts from both within and outside Government will also vet departments’ plans and subsequently the public will be engaged through the series of consultations and websites.}

The Alliance expects Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt to make the case for public funding on heritage, alongside the other areas of his portfolio. And in addition, we expect him to liaise with the other two Departments, CLG and DEFRA, over the economic and social benefits the heritage brings. This will be a test of his offer when Shadow Secretary, to establish regular departmental meetings with his ministerial colleagues.

All three ministers can show that the non Government heritage bodies are already actively creating The Big Society; community asset ownership, planning reform, neighbourhood organisers, philanthropy, volunteering and citizenship - in addition to the essential role of heritage in the tourism industry. We can do it cost effectively with a sense of community; but we need a positive legislative, policy and fiscal framework to make the most of our historic assets. And all three Departments need to have sufficient resources to put this in place.

From Heritage Update - http://www.heritagelink.org.uk/

Awards for All England – up to £10,000

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:51:00 GMT

Awards for All England is a simple small grants scheme making awards of between £300 and £10,000. The Awards for All programme aims to help improve local communities and the lives of people most in need.

To do this we want to fund projects that meet one or more of the following outcomes:

People have better chances in life - with better access to training and development to improve their life skills
Stronger communities - with more active citizens working together to tackle their problems
Improved rural and urban environments - which communities are better able to access and enjoy
Healthier and more active people and communities.

More info? For further information visit: www.awardsforall.org.uk/england/summary.html

Children in Need Launches new grants programme

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:03:00 GMT

By Andy Ricketts, Third Sector Online, 23 December 2009

Funding of up to £10,000 a year for three years available to organisations working with young people

Children in Need is offering small grants of up to £10,000 a year for three years for third sector organisations working with children and young people.

It is the first time the organisation has run a UK-wide small grants programme, and follows a pilot in Scotland. The scheme is designed to reach organisations that have not previously considered applying for Children in Need funding.

Grants will be allocated in four tranches, with application deadlines on 15 January, 15 April, 15 July and 15 October.

Any not-for-profit organisation working with children and young people under the age of 18 can apply, with some exclusions such as projects carrying out medical research or promoting religion. Decisions are expected to be made within 14 weeks of the closing date of each round.

Sheila Jane Malley, director of grants and policy at Children in Need, said the organisation was looking for charities with well thought-through aims.

"The first thing we look at is benefit for children and young people," she told Third Sector.

"Is the organisation clear about what improvements it wants to bring about, and is it clear about how it can do it?"

She said the organisation would also want to see "real enthusiasm, commitment and passion" from applicants.

The total amount of funding available for the small grants programme would depend on the quality of applications, said Malley, but funding for the small and large grants programmes together would exceed £38m in 2010.

Funding will be allocated at local level through seven regional UK bases in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Click here to make an application.

Appointment of New Director General for Office of the Third Sector and Social Exclusion – Office of the Third Sector

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:09:00 GMT

Rolande Anderson, a Director General at the Office for National Statistics, has today been appointed the Director General for the Office of the Third Sector and the Social Exclusion Taskforce.

VAT rate change

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:57:00 GMT

VAT will revert from 15% back to the standard 17.5% rate in the New Year.

Tory conference: Social enterprises to be paid by results under Tories

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:20:00 GMT

Gemma Hampson, Social Enterprise magazine

Social enterprises being paid for successfully delivering public services without central or local government intervention would be the 'hallmark' of a Conservative government, Oliver Letwin said today. Speaking at a Conservative conference fringe event organised by the Social Enterprise Coalition (SEC), the Tory MP for West Dorset and former shadow chancellor said a new framework was needed to ensure social enterprises could take risks and innovate without being caught up in red tape.

http://tinyurl.com/ya786gx

Real Help for Communities

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:10:00 GMT

The Real Help For Communities Hardship Fund is now open for applications – offering grants between £50,000 and £250,000 to provide support to third sector organisations in England. Read more...

j4b Grant Advisor

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:04:00 GMT

A new generation of funding database.

j4b Grant Advisor helps you maximise your fund raising potential by providing access to the UK’s most comprehensive database of funding opportunities from Government, Lottery, European and charitable sources. Read more...

Survey of CD Workers

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:43:00 GMT

National survey of community development work 2009!

CDF needs your help!

CDF are conducting a national survey of community development workers and their managers in September 2009.

They want get a really accurate picture of:

Who is doing community work and how it is being done
How community workers are funded
What community workers' working environments and support networks are like

Click here for more information.

Bright Sparks Set To Tackle Homelessness

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:35:00 GMT

Fifteen innovative social enterprises across England will share funding totalling £640,000 to help combat homelessness.

More Demand for Support Sector Services

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:19:00 GMT

A new report has shown the impact the recession has had on third sector support
providers across England.
Read more...

Action for Children charity shops to be taken over by Debra

luisa@redochre.org.uk — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:09:00 GMT

The entire network of Action for Children charity shops is to be transferred to medical charity Debra. A total of 36 shops will be taken over by Debra, with a provisional transfer date of 1 September. Action for Children announced in October that it planned to close all 36 of its shops over two years because the shops were losing money.
Read more...