Energy Advice for Practitioners & Volunteers – Douai Pavilion, Woolhampton, Berkshire, RG7 5TG

10am – 12pm – Wednesday 23^rd January 2019

The course aims to provide training, advice and useful information to practitioners or volunteers that work with low income and vulnerable individuals. These include families, those with long-term health conditions and the elderly.

By attending this training learners will know and understand the definition of fuel poverty, and how to advise and support the clients or the group/individuals they work with, to reduce their home energy costs through a variety of ways.

This includes:

• funding and grants available to those on low-incomes
• how to compare costs, and switch supplier to get the best deal on energy
• grants available to those in debt with their energy
• how to reduce energy costs at home by reducing the amount you use
• how to register as a priority in case of a power cut
• assistance from Thames Water for vulnerable individuals on low incomes
• useful sources of further information

It is FREE to attend and delicious refreshments will be provided but places must be booked: https://ccberks.wufoo.com/forms/energy-advice-fuel-poverty-workshop/ . This training free as it supported by West Berkshire Council Adult Community Learning.

A Children’s Centre Manager in Wokingham recently attended a training sessions and said: “Excellent information, and relevant for the work we do with families.’

After acting on the advice individuals from low income households can save between £100 and £450 pounds per year! 

There is a growing need in Berkshire to support community services, a new report has found. 65% of respondents to the 2018 Vital Signs survey chose Communities that Work as the cause that needs the most support. They further identified funding for community groups to support cohesion as the most pressing issue facing Berkshire today.

The Vital Signs survey is run by Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF), which published its results this week. Supporting the report’s findings was the importance of a safe home, good health and secure employment to the feeling of belonging within the community. The three are interdependent and underpin wellbeing.

Homelessness within the county increased almost 5 fold since 2011, with 46% of cases in Reading. There are 3 times as many rough sleepers over the same time period. As one respondent put it, “Nobody should have to live in a shop doorway! …For their whole wellbeing, health, vulnerability and self-worth.”

Health, both physical and mental, improves from keeping active however the cost of activities can be prohibitive for those families on low incomes. Those with disabilities, unsure of what they can safely and effectively do, require specialist advice. Quality of homes effects health with 20% of the poorest fifth of the population living in ‘non-decent’ homes. Loneliness and isolation were also seen as a major factor affecting health.

“A job is the basis for stability, good self-esteem and quality of life. An important building block.” Employment rates amongst those with disabilities is lowest in Reading and Slough. Also highlighted were the risks to those in low pay employment with the effects that can have on health and housing.

As a thank you for taking part respondents were asked to nominate a local charity to be entered in to a draw to win one of three £1,000 grants. Mr Graham Barker, High Sheriff of Berkshire, drew Autism Berkshire, Interakt and Family Friends Windsor & Maidenhead as the three lucky recipients. Representatives from each organisation received their grant from BCF’s Vice President Lady Catherine Stevenson DL at the BCF Symposium on Monday 8^th October (pictured).

“Once again Vital Signs shines a light on the growing and most pressing issues affecting our local community. The report serves as an important piece of research for BCF to highlight the key gaps in provision which then helps us focus our grant funding to where it is needed the most.

Mental Health will continue to be the main priority for BCF, however this year’s report goes deeper and really highlights the root causes of the current mental health crisis in Berkshire. Homelessness, in all its forms, continues to rise due to lack of accessible, safe, and affordable housing in such an expensive area to live. People with mental health problems face poverty, homelessness and unemployment due to discrimination in the workplace and the benefits system.

Our ‘Vital for Berkshire’ campaign will help to address these issues by providing financial support to charities and voluntary organisations helping people overcome these issues, and provide them with the opportunity to thrive, not just survive, as part of our local community” Jim Fyfe, Philanthropy Director, Berkshire Community Foundation

With thanks to Bruce Wright Funding Matters and Slough CVS.

Allen Lane Foundation – The Allen Lane Foundation funds small registered charities, voluntary groups, and charitable organisations.

Eligibility
They fund organisations which are registered charities, and also other organisations which are not charities but which seek funding for a charitable project. (Such as constituted voluntary groups or Community Interest Companies for example.)
They do not make grants to individuals.
To make sure their grants have an impact, we only fund smaller organisations. If you work across a local area such as a village, estate or town, to be eligible you will need to have an income of less than around £100,000. At the other end of the spectrum, if you work across the whole of the UK you will need to have an income of less than around £250,000.

What For?
They fund particular beneficiary groups – currently these are:
• Asylum seekers and refugees
• Gypsies and Travellers
• Migrant communities
• Offenders and ex-offenders
• Older people
• People experiencing mental health problems
• People experiencing violence or abuse

While recognising (and being willing to support) on-going, tried and tested projects, they are also particularly interested in unusual, imaginative or pioneering projects which have perhaps not yet caught the public imagination.
They make grants for general running costs, core costs, or specific project costs. They can also offer funding for start-up costs.
Examples of types of grants they make could be
• Volunteers’ or participants’ expenses
• Venue hire
• Part-time or sessional staffing costs
• Work aimed at strengthening the organisation such as trustee or staff training

Here are some examples of the kind of activities which might be suitable for funding:
• Provision of advice or information
• Advocacy
• Arts activities where the primary purpose is therapeutic or social
• Befriending or mentoring
• Mediation or conflict resolution
• Practical work, such as gardening or recycling, which benefits both the provider and the recipient
• Self-help groups
• Social activities or drop-in centres
• Strengthening the rights of particular groups and enabling their views and experiences to be heard by policy-makers
• Research and education aimed at changing public attitudes or policy
• Work aimed at combating stigma or discrimination
• Work developing practical alternatives to violence

How Much?
Over a typical year, they make around 150 grants, to a total value of between £750,000 and £800,000.
Their maximum grant is £15,000.
The average grant size is around £5,000-£6,000.

Deadline
The agenda for their October meeting is now full.
All applications received now, and before the end of November, will be considered in the round leading up-to their February 2019 Trustees’ meeting.

More Information
https://allenlane.org.uk/our-funding/

Santander Foundation

The Santander Foundation awards grants of up to £5,000 to help disadvantaged people make the most of their future.

Eligibility

Grants are for UK registered charities, Community Interest Companies and credit unions with at least one year’s accounts. Applications can be made by customers, organisations and Santander staff at any time.

If your project has already benefited from a grant, you won’t be eligible to apply for another for at least a full year.

Discovery Grants support projects that improve people’s knowledge, skills or which provide innovative solutions to overcome social challenges. They can only support projects which fulfil these goals and their three priority areas – Explorer, Transformer and Changemaker.What For?

Grants can be used to support one or more of their three priorities.

• EXPLORER Improving people’s knowledge

Such as Money Management workshops helping disadvantaged people learn how to budget.

• TRANSFORMER Improving skills and experience

For example, training to help socially isolated people develop skills to get back into work or volunteering opportunities for disadvantaged young people.

• CHANGEMAKER Innovative solutions to social challenges

What about a new social networking program for visually impaired young people to access the internet?

They aim to help as many organisations as possible so they don’t offer grants for longer than one year.

Funding is available:

• for small local projects and lasts for up to 12 months
• for complete projects, they don’t make contributions or part funding
• to cover part-time salaries, equipment or materials but they must be specific to your project

How Much? Up to £5,000

More Information: http://www.santanderfoundation.org.uk/discovery-grants.aspx

Heritage Lottery Fund: Sharing Heritage
Grants from £3,000 to £10,000

Explore your community’s heritage with a grant of £3,000–£10,000. Applying through this programme is straightforward, with a short application form and a quick decision.

There are no application deadlines for this programme – apply anytime. Your application will be discussed at a monthly advisory meeting at your local Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) office.

However, they will be launching our new Funding Framework early in 2019 and will therefore not be accepting applications under this programme after 18 January 2019.
Find out more about Heritage Lottery Fund: Sharing Heritage

Music for All

Making music changes lives. At Music for All we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn to play music.

Application deadline is 1^st November for funding requirement in the following January.

Individual Grant
Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to musical instruments and lessons. Our Grant Application process allows us to help people fulfil their musical dreams. Young, old, regardless of personal or life challenges, we truly want music to be for all.

Community Project Funding
Many projects and initiatives take place throughout the UK that all aim to bring music to their community. Most would benefit from a “helping hand” to fulfil their potential in becoming truly sustainable music programmes.

Find out more about Music for All

HMRC grant funding 2019 to 2020

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will allocate a guaranteed £1.6 million over the next year (April 2019 to 2020) to the voluntary and community sector (VCS) to support our customers who need extra help understanding and complying with their tax obligations and claiming their entitlements, including those who are currently digitally excluded. From 2020 HMRC will develop a longer term strategy, working with the VCS to provide the best support for customers who need extra help.

They are looking for VCS organisations to help customers to form or rebuild a relationship with HMRC that enables them to engage directly with us in the future.

They invite bids for funding of between £10,000 and £450,000, with a maximum threshold set at 50% of your organisation’s turnover (last audited accounts).

They will only accept one bid per organisation.

Bids should include one or more of the following activities:

1.1 Advice and support
1.2 Digital inclusion
1.3 Specialist support and referrals

Find out more about HMRC grant funding 2019 to 2020

‘Now’s the Time’ large grants programme

Now’s the Time, the second programme from the Justice and Equality Fund, has now opened for applications for up to £100,000. Similarly to the Now’s the Time small grants programme, the large grants programme aims to amplify the voices of individuals and groups who are calling for an end to sexual harassment and abuse, in their workplaces and in their communities.

They want to resource imaginative, collaborative and creative grassroots activism so we are asking organisations to partner up and apply by answering the question: What would you do towards ending sexual harassment in work places and in communities?

They want to fund:

• Prevention work
• Awareness raising activities
• Imaginative and creative grassroots activism
• Influencing work
• Work with groups and communities who might face additional barriers to getting their voices heard, or might be at higher risk of sexual harassment and abuse to amplify those voices
• Work that tries out new ideas
• Work that replicates tried and tested approaches in new settings
• Work that others can learn from

They are particularly keen to see cross-sector partnerships where the expertise of specialist voluntary sector organisations at the forefront of this work is shared with others to help drive broader change.

All applications must be submitted by Friday 14^th December 2018 at 5pm.

Find out more about the ‘Now’s the Time’ large grants programme

Big Lottery Fund: Digital Fund
The BLF Digital Fund is a new UK wide £15 million funding programme to support charities and community organisations. It is about helping the charity and voluntary sector to use digital tools and approaches to support people and communities to thrive. Applications initially open on 22nd October 2018 and close on 3rd December 2018. There will be further opportunities to apply in 2019.
For more information & to apply visit:
https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/digital-fund

The Magic Little Grants Fund

The Magic Little Grants Fund provides small charities and community groups the opportunity to access funding to deliver engaging physical activities, which help to overcome barriers to participation.

Eligibility

In order to apply for the funding grant your organisation must meet the following criteria:

Income – You must have an annual income under £50,000. Priority will be given to organisations with an annual income under £20,000.

Physical activity projects – You must be running, or be planning on running a project that encourages individuals to take part in some form of physical activity to help improve their physical and mental health and well being.

What For?

To benefit from funding, projects need to meet either of the following themes:

• Overcoming barriers to participation in physical activities in creative ways
• Increasing social cohesion through developing access to sports and other recreational activities

As part of the grant, organisations who are not currently members of Localgiving will also be awarded an annual Localgiving membership, worth £96, that will enable them to benefit from Localgiving’s online fundraising support and services.

Localgiving member? If you are a Localgiving member, simply log in to your account and click the Magic Little Grant button on your dashboard – it should only take 10 minutes to complete your application.

Not a Localgiving member? If you are not a Localgiving member then you need to click:

http://grants.localgiving.org/pct

for further information about applying for the grant.

As part of the grant, you will also be awarded 12 months membership with Localgiving to support you with fundraising online throughout the year.

How Much?

Localgiving has teamed up with the Postcode Community Trust to provide over 400 grants of £500 to small charities and community groups.

Deadline 31st October 2018.

National Lottery Funding

National Lottery Funding can help you to make a difference in your community. National Lottery Awards for All offers funding from £300 to £10,000 to support what matters to people and communities. We will fund organisations with great project ideas that:

• Shape the places and spaces that matter to communities
• Bring more people together and build strong relationships in and across communities
• Enable more people to fulfil their potential by working to address issues at the earliest possible stage

Find out more about grants from £300 to £10,000

Larger grants are made through a variety of programmes that cover every nation within the United Kingdom. This kind of flexible, longer-term funding is aimed at organisations whose ambitions are shaped by the people they serve.

Find out more about grants over £10,000

Andy Fanshawe Memorial Trust

The AFMT funds projects that give disadvantaged young people the chance to develop an existing interest in the great outdoors. Outdoor activities means walking, climbing, cycling, kayaking, sailing, horse riding and residential courses at outdoor centres.

• They prefer that applicants have done some fund-raising.
• They usually support organisations, but if an individual wants to apply, we need a referee.
• The AFMT doesn’t fund taster sessions or one-off trips.
• They are unlikely to support environmental organisations, unless there is a strong outdoor element to the application.
• They do not support foreign trips.
• They don’t support capital projects.

Find out more about the Andy Fanshawe Memorial Trust

Come and join us on Thursday 8th November at our 2018 Annual General Meeting for breakfast and a chance to find out more about our successes in 2017-18 as well as some exciting new projects taking place in 2018-19. The AGM is taking place at The Barn, Purley-on-Thames, it will commence at 9.30am prompt and will finish at 10.00am so why not come and join us for a cuppa and a catch up?

All welcome though places MUST be booked. If you would like to attend please contact Gemma.Pearce@ccberks.org.uk

The AGM will be followed by a fantastic opportunity to receive training on Fire Safety & Risk Assessment from the Royal Berkshire Fire Service. Further details on this can be found here.