£130m grassroots grants
scheme opens its doors to small local voluntary and community groups
CABINET OFFICE News
Release (CAB/091/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 4
September 2008
The
Government's groundbreaking £130million Grassroots Grants
scheme declared itself open for business today and called on small
local voluntary and community groups to come forward and get their
hands on essential funding.
Whether it's helping local clubs get hold of new kit,
coaching new volunteers or simply giving the village hall a fresh
lick of paint, Grassroots Grants aim to make a real and immediate
difference to the work of any small and local community groups
with annual incomes below £20,000.
The programme, funded by the Office of The Third Sector in the
Cabinet Office and administered by the Community Development
Foundation, offers grants of between £250 and £5,000 to support
activities that lie right at the heart of our local communities.
Phil Hope, Minister for the Third Sector, said:
"Our communities are teeming with thousands of small groups
and individuals who work tirelessly to tackle local problems and
this £130million fund is dedicated to supporting their efforts.
Grassroots Grants will put essential cash in the hands of small
local voluntary groups without all the paperwork required for
larger grants."
To keep the process as simple and easy as possible for
applicants, the money is being distributed directly through local
funders - slightly larger local organisations already based in the
community and selected because they are familiar with the needs
and causes in each area.
Local, regional and national businesses were also invited to get
involved through investing in the scheme's innovative
endowment match challenge - the first of its kind in England.
Within the programme, the Government has set aside a £50million
pot from which it will match endowment investments from
businesses. This offers businesses the chance to contribute
directly to supporting and sustaining the communities in which
they operate.
The endowment element - which is also open to individual
investors - aims to ensure that that Grassroots Grants remain
available for many years to come. It is estimated that with match
funding and sound investment this £50million could be worth as
much as £150million when it starts paying out in 2011. In
addition, as Gift Aid can be claimed on donations to a charitable
cause, a £1,000 match-funded contribution from a business would be
worth £2,560 to the fund.
Today's announcement names 66 of those local funders who are
ready to be approached by grant applicants or potential investors.
Phil Hope added:
"I urge local leaders and businesses to make an investment
in the future of their community by contributing to the new
endowment funds. Every penny that goes in will return a much
greater value, particularly as donations will also be eligible for
Gift Aid."
Alison Seabrooke, CDF Chief Executive said:
"Grassroots Grants are exciting as they provide funding for
community groups now and into the future. Grassroots Grants reach
out to grassroots groups which may have never even considered
applying for grant funding before. The endowment match challenge
enables local funders to continue this funding over the long-term,
giving small community groups a real future.
"Grassroots Grants are all about building a strong,
independent third sector, and the Community Development Foundation
is delighted to be administering such an innovative programme."
Stephen Hammersley, Chief Executive of Community Foundation
Network, the national association representing community
foundations, said:
"Previous experience of Community Foundations clearly
demonstrates the huge potential of the Grassroots endowments
challenge. If we can repeat the success of previous pilots, then
this £50million fund could help Community Foundations generate
£1.5billion for grassroots organisations within 20 years."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. Any public enquiries about the Grassroots Grants programme,
please go to the website of our national delivery partner the
Community Development Foundation and identify the number for your
local funder: http://www.cdf.org.uk
2. For more information about the programme, including a full
list of contacts for local funders and the areas they will cover,
please go to: http://www.cdf.org.uk
3. As part of the Cabinet Office, the Office of the Third Sector
leads work across government to support the environment for a
thriving third sector (voluntary and community groups, social
enterprises, charities, cooperatives and mutuals), enabling the
sector to campaign for change, deliver public services, promote
social enterprise and strengthen communities. For more information
please go to: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/
Cabinet Office Press Office 22 Whitehall LONDON SW1A 2WH
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk