NO SESSIONS AT PRESENT

Active Communities Grants – The Active Communities Grants launched in December 2019 and provides opportunities for local people, groups and organizations to apply for funding of up to £500 to support Doncaster residents to be more active. Full details are available on the Get Doncaster Moving website, along with details of what can be funded and how to apply:  https://getdoncastermoving.org/active-communities   

ASDA Foundation Trust – The foundation supports grassroots organisations in making a real impact, and supports local communities in emergencies, reacting quickly to help people in the immediate hours following a disaster.  Full information along with the application process can be found here

Doncaster VCFS Fund Grants are available for up to £5,000 to support activities to help the clinically extremely vulnerable with practical support. The aim of the fund is to help people get back together safely, reducing social isolation an loneliness.. Applications of up to £5,000 will be considered by the panel who meet every two weeks to review requests.  Funds must be spent by 31st March 2023 Full Information can be found on the Voluntary action Doncaster Website https://www.voluntaryactiondoncaster.org.uk/funding/doncaster-vcfs-fu

Morrisons Foundation The Foundation awards grants to registered charities which make a positive difference in local communities. Grants are available to fully fund projects up to £25,000. Full details here

National Lottery Awards For All Will fund voluntary and community groups with between £300 and £10,000 for a wide range of activities, anywhere in England for up to one year. Full information about Awards for All can be found here

National Lottery Community Fund Reaching Communities England Fund

The fund provides grants to organisations who work to make positive changes in their communities.

They can support groups to continue to:

• deliver activity – whether that is crisis response, recovery or business as usual activity
• Change and adapt, becoming more resilient to respond to new and future challenges

To help communities to thrive they aim to:

• build strong relationships in and across communities
• improve the places and spaces that matter to communities
• help more people to reach their potential, by supporting them at the earliest possible stage

Applications can be made via their online application form or via email or video. 

Full information and the application process can be found here

Sport England Two main funds available offering grants ranging from £300 up to £50,000 to fund equipment, kit, staffing costs, training, venue hire, transport and volunteer expenses. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

Funds available are:

Return to Play Fund – three grants available which aims to help support groups and organisations working with Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, people on low incomes and those disproportionately affected financially as a result of the pandemic, disabled people and people with long-term health conditions and those experiencing a greater burden of care responsibilities since the pandemic began.

Tackling Inequalities Fund – to help to reduce the negative impact of coronavirus and the widening of the inequalities in sport and physical activity.

Funding can be used to purchase

• a range of equipment
• staff costs and training
• Adapt or convert spaces and improve buildings
• Improve outdoor areas through the installation of temporary floodlights

Full information is available of the website

MSE (Money Saving Expert) Charity All grants given out are below £7,500, in support of groups that work to change how people think about and manage money.

The MSE Charity gives grants to UK not-for-profit organisations that deliver activities which make a lasting impact on how people think, behave and manage their money. The MSE Charity is dedicated to supporting UK voluntary groups to deliver financial life skills, which make a lasting impact on the way people think, behave & manage their money. They prefer to fund small to medium-sized non-profit organisations with a constitution for example registered Charities, CICs, and Credit Unions, excluding statutory organisations.

Funding Areas

Living with Long-Term Challenges: Projects focused on building financial capability skills assisting groups who support dementia, autism, learning difficulties, disabilities, caring responsibilities, mental illness, brain injury, and stroke.

Building and Developing Resilience: Projects focused on building financial capability skills assisting groups who support mental health, and wellbeing, cooking well for less, training others, independent living skills, and peer mentoring.

The Next Generation – Supports projects that build financial capability skills assisting: Children, Youth, Families; Schools-based work, Migrants, Lone Parents, Victims & Survivors of Domestic Abuse and Family Outreach Services.

Life-Changing Transitions – Awards to projects focused on building financial capability skills assisting groups who support: Bereavement, Redundancy, Retirement, Relationship Breakdown, Homelessness, Offenders and Resettlement.

Please visit their website for more information

BBC Children in Need

Their new grant programme is now up and running.

The welcome addition is the Core Costs Funding Stream – grants to a maximum of £120,000 over three years, with a simpler process for grants up to £15,000. Core Costs support essential organisational and administrative spending. These are the key expenses required to keep your organisation running, so you do not need to identify a ’project’. No deadline.

The project grants are now open again. There is only one process rather than the previous small and large grants, but the process is simpler for bids under £15,000. No deadline here either

Both schemes have a simple Expression of Interest Form to start the process

Just a reminder as well that they have a fund for emergency essentials for individual families – more important now than ever

All details here

Moving on Up: Young People and Employment

The latest round of this fund from South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation is now open. Grants of up to £5,000 a year for a maximum of three years to support young people (aged 14-30 years) to get good, productive and rewarding jobs in South Yorkshire.  

Priority will be given to organisations working specifically with vulnerable and marginalised young people

Deadline is 12 noon on Tuesday 22^nd November 2022.  Grants will be paid from early February. Full details here

Crisis grants to groups and individuals

Thanks to colleagues at VAC/VSI Alliance Calderdale, who have very generously shared this list of funding to support individuals during the cost of living crisis

Community Gardens Award

Grants of £500 – £5,000 for the creation of a garden or a similar project (such as an allotment) with horticultural focus for the benefit of the local community.

The funding is available to projects run by amateur gardeners within community groups or Community Interest Companies (CICs).

The project should aim to bring a community together by creating a space people can share, by the acquisition and sharing of gardening knowledge and skills and by inspiring a love of gardening.

Deadline is 31^st January 2023. Full details here

The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

The Foundation, one of the largest grant-making institutions in the UK, has reopened its Fairer Future funding stream with revised priorities.

Under the 2022 Strategy, there is a focus on work that contributes to a socially just and anti-racist society, where people have their rights protected, as well as the opportunity to speak and be heard, and the freedom to express their creativity.

There are five updated priority areas:

• Arts and Creativity Making Change.
• Children and Young People’s Rights.
• Racial Justice.
• Gender Justice.
• Migrant Justice.

Applicants must have a minimum income of at least £100,000.

There will be a series of webinars in the coming weeks for addressing each of the programme’s priorities.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Full details here

Dadesley Crafting CIC, having bases in Tickhill and Balby

Dadesley Crafting CIC aims to unite people, improve mental health and well-being and combat loneliness.

• Use crafting as a form of therapy to improve its members’ mental health and well-being.

• Promote mutual support and cohesion to combat isolation experienced by the client group.

• To support people with dementia and their family members/carers

We do all the above through thrifty craft sessions and by hosting Artisan Markets.

For more information, please contact info@dadesleycrafting.co.uk

Community Interest Company (CIC) vs Charity – The Difference Between a CIC and Charity CIO & The Alternatives To Setting Up A Charity

The answer to Community Interest Company (CIC) vs Charity depends on what you want to achieve and there are other alternatives to setting up a charity. This resource explains the difference between a CIC and charity CIO, to answer CIC vs charity question and information on other social enterprise alternatives to starting a charity

Community Interest Company vs Charity CIO, The Difference & Alternatives

Most people start by looking at the different legal structures but the answer to Community Interest Company (CIC) vs Charity depends on what you’re trying to do and there are alternatives to setting up a charity. This resource explains the difference between a CIC and charity CIO, to answer the CIC vs charity question and information on other social enterprise alternatives to starting a charity.  

Alternatives To Setting Up A CIC Or Charity

Setting up and running any type of non profit, be that a charity or CIC social enterprise, involves time and workload, so here are some options to avoid that.

• Work With An Existing Charity.  If you wish to raise funds for a particular cause, you could always do so for an existing charity or work in partnership with them Working with an established organisation also enables you to benefit from their support and expertise.
• Create A Named Fund.  Alternatively, you could either set up a named fund with a community foundation. It’s far easier and a lot less work than setting up and running a charity, but are UK only and not all foundations offer this. .

Key Questions In Choosing A CIC Social Enterprise Or Charity

Here are some key questions you need to ask in order to decide if a CIC or charity would be the best choice for you.

• How quickly do I want to set my non profit up?  You need quite a bit of information to set either up, but once submitted a Companies House decision on registering a CIC normally takes only a couple of days.  Charity registration decisions can take several months and securing registration for a charity is much more challenging. 
• How much flexibility/control do I want?  CICs only require 2 directors and, as the Managing Director, you can be a member of the Board.  Charities require at least 3 trustees and are more bureaucratic.    
• Will I be getting paid?  If anyone on the Board has a close personal or business relationship with a member of staff or company you will work with, there’s a conflict of interest, which you will need to manage.  The directors of a CIC can be paid.  Trustees of a charity can also be paid, but it’s quite a bit more bureaucratic.  
• Do I need limited liability protection?  If your non profit is incorporated (registered), you directors/trustees will have limited liability protection.  Unincorporated associations (unregistered charities) and charitable trusts do not. If you will have substantive contracts, such as a building lease, or employing staff or undertaking activities that pose some potential risk of being sued, you will almost certainly wish to be incorporated.  
• Will we be trading?  Both charities and social enterprises can trade, but it can be more complicated if you’re a charity.  If your charity trading falls within your objects (primary purpose), you shouldn’t have corporation tax liability.  However, if it’s not (secondary purpose), you may have to set up a trading subsidiary, if the amount exceeds the small trading tax exemption limit.   
• How will my non profit be funded?  Charities are more bureaucratic, but the payback is that they are by far more useful for fundraising and enjoy a range of charitable tax reliefs that CICs do not, particularly Gift Aid.  Gift Aid adds 25% to charitable donations from eligible UK tax payers.  

What Is A Charity, CIC & Other Social Enterprises – The Different Types Of Non Profit

• Starting A Social Enterprise – a social enterprise is a company that uses its profits and assets for the public good. Community Interest Companies (CICs) are probably the most well known, but there are range of other legal structures – here’s a useful guide. 
  • A CIC Limited By Guarantee is the only type that can convert to a charity, if you subsequently wish to. 
  • Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) are not a legal structure as such, but allows local amateur sports clubs to register with HMRC and benefit from a range of tax reliefs, including Gift Aid.
  • There are less common alternatives, such as Community Benefit Societies (previously Industrial & Provident) and Cooperatives that trade, for the benefit of the community, or their members respectively.
• Starting A Charity.  There are 4 legal structures for registered charities; charitable trusts, charitable companies and 2 models of Charity Incorporated Organisations (CIO) – the foundation model (no voting members) and the association model (voting members).
  • Although less well known, there are an estimated 100k unincorporated associations (unregistered charities) in the UK.  These do not have limited liability protection, you must register if your income exceeds £5k pa and some funders will only support registered charities.  However, these are very quick and easy to set up, you can open a bank account and register with HMRC for Gift Aid.

Setting Up Your CIC Or Charity CIO – Which Type To Choose

This infographic shows you visually the most common types of non profit and the pros and cons of each. 

However, by far the 2 most common choices are a CIC Limited By Guarantee or a registered charity, usually a Foundation CIO. 

• CIC Limited By Guarantee – is quicker and simpler to set-up, has more of a ‘business’ image than charities and can pay board directors, but don’t qualify for charity tax reliefs and, whilst fundraising is possible, it’s more difficult.
• Registered Charities – are best for fundraising, can claim the extensive charitable tax reliefs, but are much harder to set up, more bureaucratic to run and paying trustees is more complicated.  

Here’s an index provided by Charity Excellence framework  Non-profit Start-up Toolbox that has a series of toolkits for everything you’ll need including registering with Companies House, the Charity Commission and/or HMRC, Gift Aid, conversions and how to open a bank account. 

In Order to access funding all groups will need some form of Bank account. As this can be a long process it is vital that this is one of the first things that any group setting up needs to consider at the start of their journey

Most high street banks offer Community group/ Charity bank account most of these accounts do not charge a monthly fee like Business Bank accounts do. Please be aware that the majority of accounts can take up to 12 weeks to fully set up, this time will vary between banks as will the criteria to set up the account.

You may also need a signed contract or a document evidencing prospective income for the organisation along with a constitution and governing documents.

These accounts are all available to registered and unregistered community groups and charities.

• Natwest Community Account. Community bank account | NatWest business banking
• Lloyds Bank Treasurer’s Account. Community Accounts | Business | Lloyds Bank
• Metro Bank Community Current Account. Community and Charity Bank Account | Metro Bank (metrobankonline.co.uk)
• Royal Bank of Scotland Community Account. Community account | Business Accounts | Bank of Scotland Business
• Bank of Scotland Treasurer’s Account. Community account | Business Accounts | Bank of Scotland Business
• Santander Treasurer’s Current Account. Treasurer’s Bank Account | Business Banking | Santander UK
• Barclays Zen Digipay, Charity Bank Account Made Simple
• Starling Business bank account | No monthly fees – Starling Bank

A good alternative is a Credit Union such as Community First who offer Community Group ‘savings’ accounts which invoices can be paid into and from and business accounts. https://www.communityfirstcu.co.uk/