Guide to lobbying and influencing politicians. 'Lobbying Politicians and Policy Makers

Voice4Change has launched the new 'how to' guide to lobbying and influencing politicians. 'Lobbying Politicians and Policy Makers; 

Funding

The Main grants programme is open to applications for over £10,000.  

 

has announced that he is seeking application through the Community Initiatives Fund.   

 

Applications, once received, will be considered by the Police and Crime Commissioner and applicants will be informed of the decision within 4 weeks. 

Royal Bank of Scotland Inspiring Enterprise Programme (UK)

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has announced that the next funding round of its Inspiring Women in Enterprise will open on the 3rd June 2013. Through the programme organisations that support women setting up their own business can apply for grants of up to £50,000. This can include:

• 
  Delivering enterprise education
  
• 
  Innovative networking events
  
• 
  Developing entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, etc.
  

Previous projects supported include:

Derwentside’s Enterprising Women (DEW) which received funding to build a female entrepreneurial network to support women starting, developing and expanding businesses in Derwentside.

Croydon Business Venture Ltd, which received support through the programme support women-led businesses in South London through a dedicated training programme.

http://www.inspiringenterprise.rbs.com/inspiring-women

Funding for Schools to Purchase Musical Equipment (UK)

Schools in the UK, that wish to purchase musical instruments and equipment can apply for funding of up to £2,000 through the EMI Music Sound Foundation’s Instrument and/or Equipment Awards. To date the Foundations has made awards to over two thousand schools, individual students and teachers improve their access to music through the purchase or upgrade of musical instruments and equipment. The funding has to be made for music education that is beyond statutory national curriculum music teaching. The Foundation can not fund retrospectively and schools are not eligible for financial assistance under this scheme if they have already purchased their instruments or if they do so before their application has been approved. The closing date for applications is the 11th September 2013.

http://www.emimusicsoundfoundation.com/index.php/site/awards/

The Department for International Development has announced that its Global Poverty Action Fund – Community Partnership Window will re-open for applications on the 1st May 2013. The Global Poverty Action Fund (GPAF) supports projects focused on poverty reduction in the developing world and pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The GPAF Community Partnership window will be open to applications from small UK-based, non-governmental, not-for-profit groups with an average annual income of less than £1,000,000 for the past three years. Eligible organisations can apply for grants of up to £250,000 for projects lasting up to 36 months. Projects focused on MDGs demonstrated to be off-track in the project context will be prioritised.

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Work-with-us/Funding-opportunities/Not-for-profit-organisations/Global-Poverty-Action-Fund/

Community Sport Activation Fund (England)

Sport England has announced that its £40 million Community Sport Activation Fund grant scheme will re-open for applications on the 7th May 2013. Through the Community Sport Activation Fund grants of between £50,000 and £250,000 will be available to sports clubs, schools, local authorities and other not for profit organisations to support grassroots sports activities at a very local level. The type of activities that can be funded include:

• 
  Activities reflecting a broad range of sports
  
• 
  Informal opportunities which could lead to regular participation
  
• 
  Multi-sport activities which provide people with a range of choices and opportunities to suit them
  
• 
  Family orientated activities with a focus on 14 plus age group
  
• 
  Local activator roles that focus on directly organising and delivering new opportunities for participation.
  

The Santander Foundation has launched a new £1.23 million Community Plus fund to support charities helping local disadvantaged people across the UK. UK registered charities can apply for a grant of up to £5,000. The funding must be for a specific project that helps disadvantaged people. For example this could be for a piece of equipment or to pay for the costs of a part time sessional worker. The only criteria for the Community Plus grants are:

• 
  The applicant must be a UK registered charity
  
• 
  The applicant must be a local charity or local project of a larger charity
  
• 
  The grant must benefit local disadvantaged people
  

http://www.santanderfoundation.org.uk/community-plus.aspx

The Barchester Healthcare Foundation, which is a registered grant making charity that helps older people and other adults with a disability across England, Scotland & Wales, has announced that for 2013, their grant making priority is to help older people (65+) in the community, to improve their mobility, independence and quality of life. Grants of between £100 and £5,000 are available to both individuals and small community groups. In the case of individuals, all applications need to be supported and completed by a third party sponsor. A sponsor could be, for example, a health/ personal care professional, social worker or charity/ support group representative. Applications can be submitted at any time.

http://www.bhcfoundation.org.uk/Default.aspx

Funding Available To Help Volunteering (UK)

The Alec Dickson Trust provides grants of up to £500 to help young people of up to 30 or small groups of young people run a volunteering project in their local area. The fund seeks to support projects that enhance the lives of others, particularly those most marginalised by society such as:

• 
  The homeless
  
• 
  Those with drug dependency problems
  
• 
  People with disabilities.
  

http://www.alecdicksontrust.org.uk/

The Charity, Buttle UK, has announced that its Access to the Future Programme is open for applications. Through the programme financial assistance is available to young people who face multiple barriers to attainment by funding bespoke packages of support put together by themselves and their support worker. Grants of up to £3,000 can be awarded per individual. This could include funding for training courses, activities, residential courses, private tuition, clothing, licences, equipment, business start up costs or anything which removes (or helps remove) a barrier that stands in the way of the applicant returning to employment, education or training (EET). Applications need to be submitted by support professionals working for a suitable referral agency. Applications can be made at any time.

http://www.buttleuk.org/pages/grant-programmes-access-to-the-future-programme-47.html

Youth in Action Programme – Call for Proposals (UK)

The European Commission has announced a new call for proposals under Action 4.5 of its Youth in Action Programme. Funding of up to €120,000 are available to not-for profit organisations to support projects which promote information and communication actions with a European dimension that are aimed at young people and youth leaders. To be eligible for funding projects need to involve organisations from two EU countries and address one or more of the priorities of the Youth in Action programme. These are:

• 
  European citizenship
  
• 
  Participation of young people
  
• 
  Cultural diversity
  
• 
  Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.
  

The closing date for applications is 12 noon on the 27th June 2013.

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2013:085:0011:0013:EN:PDF

New £250,000 Investment Fund for NHS Apps (England)

Creative England in collaboration with the NHS Commissioning Board and Creative Skills for Life have launched a new £250,000 fund to support app and content development aimed at the health and wellbeing market in the UK. Committed to opening up practical opportunities for creative businesses to work with business clusters in other sectors, this is the first time that Creative England’s focus has been specifically on healthcare. Next month, Creative England will invite applications from SMEs for the new fund to create health and wellbeing-related apps aimed at NHS customers. It is anticipated that the competition will result in the support of five new healthcare apps – part-funded 50 per cent with each SME. The investment will take the form of revenue sharing agreements between the SME and Creative England. This new interactive healthcare initiative is funded by part of the £5 million secured by Creative England from the Regional Growth Fund to stimulate new jobs and growth in the digital and creative industries in areas of high unemployment.

http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/index.php/2013/creative-england-launches-investment-fund-for-nhs-apps/

Community Initiatives Fund (West Midlands)

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has announced that he is seeking application through the Community Initiatives Fund.

The purpose of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to community based initiatives that contribute towards the objectives in the Police and Crime Commissioners Police and Crime Plan or local policing plans. The principal aims of the Fund are to provide small grants to help projects succeed and encourage community contact with local neighbourhood officers to increase trust and confidence and reduce crime, disorder and anti social behaviour. Applying Applications to the fund should show that: the project will help to improve community safety and increase reassurance it is a response to an issue affecting the community effective management structures are in place it has as an appropriate clear plan and justification. Applications, once received, will be considered by the Police and Crime Commissioner and applicants will be informed of the decision within 4 weeks.

http://www.westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk/your-commissioner/community-initiatives-fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund has announced that from the 25th February, organisations will be able to apply for grants of more than £10,000 and up to £50,000 through the Young Roots programme.

Young Roots aims to involve 11 - 25 year-olds in finding out about their heritage, developing skills, building confidence and promoting community involvement. Projects needs to be related to the heritage of the UK. For example, it could involve young people researching a local archive or doing practical casework on a nature reserve. Projects must also show how young people are managing and participating in the project.

Previous projects supported include:

• 
  Kirkby Stephen Grammer School which received a grant of £15,300 to produce a film about the construction of the Settle-Carlisle Railway which is an important part of the heritage of their area;
  
• 
  Villa Real School (which caters specifically for young people with special educational needs) which was awarded a grant of £19,875 to work in partnership with a local museum to explore and gain first-hand experience in ancient crafts.
  

http://www.hlf.org.uk/HowToApply/programmes/Pages/youngroots.aspx#.USorp5BFARq

The Idlewild Trust has announced that the next closing date for applications to its grant making programme is the 20th September 2013. The Idlewild Trust is a grant making trust that supports registered charities concerned with the encouragement of the performing and fine arts and crafts, the advancement of education within the arts and the preservation for the benefit of the public of lands, buildings and other objects of beauty or historic interest in the United Kingdom. Previous projects supported by the Trust include:

• 
  The Arcola Children's Theatre which received a grant of £2,000 to create a new theatre production for school children in London;
  
• 
  The London Symphony Orchestra which received a grant of £1,500 for a series of free concerts which provide open access to world-class music. http://www.idlewildtrust.org.uk/
  

The Carnegie UK Trust has announced the launch of its Carnegie Challenge Fund. The Carnegie Challenge is a fund to enable not-for-profit organisations to put on a high caliber debate to raise the profile and impact of a conference or event which they are organising. Up to 10 awards of up to £3,000 are available and can be used to cover the expenses of panel members. The award should enable event organisers to attract leading professionals to speak at their event. It is hoped that this fund will allow organisers to attract national and international speakers to take part in a high caliber debate. There is one deadline remaining in 2013 and this is the 21st June.

http://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/changing-minds/carnegie-challenge

People's Postcode Trust Small Grants Programme (England, Scotland & Wales)

The People's Postcode Trust has announced its Small Grants Programme is now closed and will re-open for applications on the 8th April 2013. Through its small grants programme, the People's Postcode Trust offers grants of between £500 and £10,000 to small organisations and community groups for projects lasting up to 6 months in the areas of:

• 
  Poverty Prevention;
  
• 
  Advancement of Health;
  
• 
  Community Development;
  
• 
  Public Sports;
  
• 
  Human Rights;
  
• 
  and Environmental Protection.
  

• 
  Rotters Community Composting which received a grants of £9,280 to transform a piece of derelict land into a well maintained, open and accessible space for local community groups to come and learn about growing healthy food and recycling organic waste into reusable compost;
  
• 
  and the Greater Manchester Youth Network which received a grant of £1,862 to fund their Young Community Entrepreneurs Programme. The project will offer personal development programmes for disabled young people through a Community Entrepreneurship programme that will support young people to develop their skills through facilitated sessions and then develop their own business idea.
  

The Kelly Family Charitable Trust is open to applications from registered charities whose activities involve all or most family members in initiatives that support and encourage the family to work as a cohesive unit in tackling problems that face one or more of its members. The fund also welcomes applications from sports and health-related charities whose activities comply with the above criteria.

The Fund offers revenue and capital grants. Grants are of between £1,000 and £5,000, but higher grants may be considered.

Projects supported in the past include the Hill’s Trust Home School Community Project which is a family education support project based in Hill’s Trust Primary School in Govan. The Project promotes parental involvement at all levels throughout the school and works directly with parents/carers and pupils. It offers support with issues such as attendance, behaviour and family issues, as well as a range of other services. The School is working with Glasgow City council to share its good practice with the aim of expanding the model to all Glasgow Schools.

The next closing date for applications is the 1st September 2013.

http://www.kfct.org.uk/index.html

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has announced that it is to invest up to £500,000 to establish new Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) to stimulate innovation in the UK retail sector. It is seeking proposals that will help retail managers address the major economic, social and environmental challenges that they face, leading to new opportunities and tangible outcomes for business.

This targeted call offers retailers the chance to work in partnership with the UK’s world leading social and economic scientists, to access skills, knowledge and technology and address sectoral challenges, helping to improve competitiveness, productivity and performance. The deadline for applications is noon on 21 August 2013.

http://www.innovateuk.org/content/competition/supporting-innovation-in-the-uk-retail-sector.ashx

Sport England has announced round 5 of their Protecting Playing Fields Programme (PPF) will open to applications on the 10th June 2013.

Applications can be submitted by organisations such as voluntary or community organisations, local authorities, sports clubs, playing field associations, charities and education establishments. PPF is seeking to support projects that help communities maximise the sporting benefits of playing field land. Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 will be available towards the purchase of land for new playing fields and bringing disused playing fields back into use:

• 
  The purchase of playing field land where there is a known and established threat, such as through the expiry of a lease or a development proposal
  
• 
  Improvements to existing pitches through levelling, drainage, reseeding and realignment.
  

http://www.sportengland.org/funding/protecting_playing_fields/programme_information.aspx

As part of the Cabinet Office Centre for Social Action, the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA), will run a £14 million Innovation Fund to support the growth of innovations that mobilise people's energy and talents to help each other, working alongside public services.

• 
  The programme will run over the next two years and the aim is to;
  
• 
  find innovations that harness different types of social action to make a positive difference;
  
• 
  support the most promising innovations
  
• 
  and enable a small number of proven innovations to achieve impact at significant scale, by reaching and benefiting many more people.
  

http://www.nesta.org.uk/areas_of_work/public_services_lab/giving_and_social_action/csa_innovationfund/assets/features/centre_for_social_action_innovation_fund_fund_details

To celebrate its 160’s Birthday, the Skipton Building Society has launched a new community funding programme, Grassroots Giving. As part of Grassroots Giving, the Skipton Building Society have 160 donations of £500 to allocate to community groups across the country. The idea behind our Grassroots Giving campaign is to help community organisations, or groups, who only have access to limited funding from elsewhere. For this reason, registered charities will not be able to request funding via Grassroots Giving. The closing date for applications is the 31st July 2013. http://skiptonbig160.co.uk/

The Santander Foundation has launched a new £1.23 million Community Plus fund to support charities helping local disadvantaged people across the UK. UK registered charities can apply for a grant of up to £5,000. The funding must be for a specific project that helps disadvantaged people. For example this could be for a piece of equipment or to pay for the costs of a part time sessional worker.

The only criteria for the Community Plus grants are:

• 
  The applicant must be a UK registered charity
  
• 
  The applicant must be a local charity or local project of a larger charity
  
• 
  The grant must benefit local disadvantaged people
  

http://www.santanderfoundation.org.uk/community-plus.aspx

The Charity, Buttle UK, has announced that its Access to the Future Programme is open for applications. Through the programme financial assistance is available to young people who face multiple barriers to attainment by funding bespoke packages of support put together by themselves and their support worker.

Grants of up to £3,000 can be awarded per individual. This could include funding for training courses, activities, residential courses, private tuition, clothing, licences, equipment, business start-up costs or anything which removes (or helps remove) a barrier that stands in the way of the applicant returning to employment, education or training (EET). Applications need to be submitted by support professionals working for a suitable referral agency.

Applications can be made at any time. http://www.buttleuk.org/pages/grant-programmes-access-to-the-future-programme-47.html

The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, one of the UK’s largest independent charitable foundations, has announced the launch of its new food strand. Esmée will offer total funding of £5m over a period of three years and is inviting applications from organisations focused on understanding and investigating the critical role that food plays in wellbeing and the interplay between food, sustainability and poverty. The food strand is open to both large-scale strategic or policy-led interventions and organisations working on innovative local projects. The foundation will support work that delivers high quality, innovative local food projects, particularly those that can become financially sustainable and are:

• 
  Replicable
  
• 
  Establishes closer links between NGOs, community groups, producers, retailers and industry in order to create more coherent food sector
  
• 
  Improves people’s understanding of the place that food plays in our lives and shows the role that access to good quality food can have on wellbeing
  
• 
  Leads to the prioritisation of sustainable food production and consumption in local and national policy, practice and decision-making
  
• 
  Increases demand for better quality food from sustainable sources, for example, through changes to public procurement.
  

http://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/what-we-fund/sectors/food

The European Commission has announced a new call for proposals under Action 4.5 of its Youth in Action Programme. Funding of up to €120,000 are available to not-for profit organisations to support projects which promote information and communication actions with a European dimension that are aimed at young people and youth leaders. To be eligible for funding projects need to involve organisations from two EU countries and address one or more of the priorities of the Youth in Action programme. These are:

• 
  European citizenship
  
• 
  Participation of young people
  
• 
  Cultural diversity
  
• 
  Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities.
  

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2013:085:0011:0013:EN:PDF

Individuals and organisations such as schools, museums, libraries and community groups can apply to the British Ecological Society for grants of up to £2,000 to promote ecological science to a wide audience. The funding is available for projects that increase public understanding of, and engagement with:

• 
  Ecology
  
• 
  Stimulate discussion about ecology and its implications for society
  
• 
  Inspire and enthuse people of all ages about the science of ecology, especially those not previously interested
  
• 
  Develop skills in communicating the science of ecology
  

Aid for the Aged in Distress (AFTAID) welcomes applications from individuals, or their family and neighbours, of state pensionable age, that are UK citizen and resident, on lower income and have minimal savings. AFTAID aims to help older persons that are financially stretched beyond their means to the point of genuine distress. AFTAID can provide grants for many varied items such as:

• 
  Mobility scooters
  
• 
  Walk-in showers; radiators
  
• 
  Cleaning
  
• 
  Central heating boiler
  
• 
  Video intercom
  
• 
  ‘Blind' software for PC’s, etc.
  

Macmillan cancer support has launched a new grants programme to replace our Helping You Help Others and Inclusion User Involvement grants for groups and individuals who support people affected by cancer or campaign to improve cancer care. Please see below for details of their Supporting You to Help Others (SYHO) programme for 2013. In brief this programme enables people affected by cancer to apply for a grant to set up or develop an existing group to support activities or interests for other patients & carers affected by cancer. The programme would also support an event which enables patients & carers to share their experiences (networking & peer support) and/or to help professionals better understand the needs of their patients (user involvement). Applications from non-cancer community groups and organisations will also be considered if they meet the criteria. Further information, including application forms and guidance notes are available on our website here:

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/HowWeCanHelp/CancerSupportGroups/HowWeSupportYourGroup.aspx.

Santander Launches Community Plus Fund (UK)

Following the launch, in September, of a new £250,000 pilot fund for charities in the South West, Santander Foundation has announced the launch of a new £1.23 million Community Plus fund to support charities helping local disadvantaged people across the UK. UK registered charities can apply for a grant of up to £5,000. The funding must be for a specific project that helps disadvantaged people. For example this could be for a piece of equipment or to pay for the costs of a part time sessional worker. To apply, just visit any Santander branch and complete a nomination form. The completed form should be dropped into the box provided in your local branch.

There are no closing dates and entries will be regularly considered by a panel of staff drawn from across the region. Successful charities will be notified within 2 months of submitting their nomination.

http://www.santanderfoundation.org.uk/aboutus.aspx

£500 Business Grants for New Childminding Businesses (England)

The Government has announced that grants of up to £500 will be available to encourage people to set up nurseries and child minding businesses. The £2million scheme which will be launched in April 2013 will support the creation of up to 6,000 child minders. People who want to set up a nursery or child minding business can access grants of up to £500 to help cover legal and insurance costs, health and safety training, and adaptations to premises, etc. Child minders caring for less than six children could receive around £250 while those looking to set up larger businesses might collect up to £500 towards a deposit on new premises. All those who receive grants will also be offered start-up advice and mentoring through the government’s Business in You scheme.

http://www.culture.gov.uk/news/news_stories/9517.aspx

Funding for Science Education (UK)

The Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers, which is one of the leading charities in the UK supporting metallurgy and materials science education from primary school to postgraduate levels makes funding available to UK schools for special purposes such as science equipment and projects, or travel to scientific events or institutions. Typically these are up to £600 for primary and to £1000 for secondary schools. Funds are finite and will be allocated on a first come first served basis in each year starting on 1 April.

http://www.armourershall.co.uk/cmspage.php?id=101&cmsid=3&parentid=100

Applications can be submitted at any time

Grant for registered charities active within a 50-mile radius of Birmingham undertaking projects with general charitable purposes. Average grant £250. For further information on how to obtain this funding opportunity locally, please contact the following:

Contact details:

Chrissy Norgrove

George Henry Collins Charity c/o Martineau Johnson No.1 Colmore Square

Birmingham West Midlands B4 6AA

Telephone: 0870 763 2000

The MSE Charity has announced that its grants programme has re-opend for applications. The MSE Charity provides grants to constituted community based groups (including schools) to help fight financial and consumer illiteracy and to educate and inform adults and children about consumer and debt issues. Under the programme, grants of up to £5,000 are available for group projects such as self-help groups, schools, workshops and other innovative schemes that seek to educate people about money, debt and consumer issues. Individuals over the age of 18 can apply for a grant of up to £500 to help pay towards a recognised and approved course that will help improve their ability to budget and manage their finances. The grant can be used to pay for financial education course fees and other associated expenses.

Groups that have been supported in the past include:

• 
  Helping Hands for Refugees
  
• 
  Torbay Advice Network
  
• 
  The Holy Catholic School
  
• 
  Asperger East Anglia.
  

https://www.msecharity.com/Default.aspx?pageid=15

Financial assistance of up to £1,500 is available to community groups and organisations for projects benefiting children and young people up to the age of 25 years within a 15 mile radius of Walsall in the West Midlands.

http://www.rosieshelpinghands.org/

Government Extends Business Start Up Loan Scheme (England)

The Government has announced that the Start-Up Loans scheme for new young entrepreneurs will be extended. In addition to a £30 million increase in funding over the next three years, the age limit for applying will be extended to 30. Previously, Start-Up Loans were available to entrepreneurs aged 18-24. The total amount of funding available through the scheme is now over £110 million. To date, over 460 new businesses have benefited from the scheme, with £1.5 million worth of loans. Start-Up Loans are delivered through charities and private partners. The average loan is about £2,500, and comes with a package of business support including mentoring. For more information on applying for a Start-Up Loan, please click on the link below.

http://www.startuploans.co.uk/

Grants for Women Making Music (UK)

The Performing Right Society (PRS) has announced that its Women Make Music grant scheme is now open for applications. Through the programme, financial support of up to £5000 is available to women musicians; and new music in any genre is welcome, from classical, jazz and experimental, to urban, electronica and pop. The aims of Women Make Music are:

• 
  To break down assumptions and stereotypes within the music industry by encouraging role models for future generations
  
• 
  Raise awareness of the gender gap and to ensure that women are aware that support for new music is available to them
  
• 
  Increase the profile of women who are creating new music in the UK
  
• 
  Stimulate new collaborations between organisations and female music creators.
  
• 
  Through the scheme support is available to both individuals and organisations/groups.
  

Microsoft has announced the launch of Britain Works Initiative, and NGO programme which provides resources and connects UK registered charities working in the employability arena. This initiative is aimed at helping 500,000 people into employment by giving them access to vital IT skills over the next 3 years. By becoming a Britain Works NGO Programme Partner charities will be able to access resources, software, training curriculum and dedicated events and webinars. UK registered charities with an employability programme or who are looking to set up an employability programme in 2010 you can register to join the Britain Works NGO Programme free of charge. To register your interest, please email britwork@microsoft.com .

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/britainworks/ngo.aspx

BFI Launches £4 Million Film Distribution Fund (UK)

The British Film Institute (BFI) has announced the launch of its new Film Distribution Fund. The BFI Distribution Fund invests in projects that increase access to, and awareness of, high quality British independent and specialised films. The fund does this by supporting the distribution launch of films that have the potential to reach beyond their core market; and by championing fresh approaches in distribution and marketing that will help films find new audiences, both in cinemas and across additional platforms. The Distribution Fund has an annual budget of £4 million. The fund is open to registered companies with direct experience of film distribution. For further information on the Fund and the applications procedure, please click on the link below.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/film-industry/lottery-funding-distribution/distribution-fund/distribution-fund-how-apply

Carnegie Challenge Fund (UK)

The Carnegie UK Trust has announced the launch of its Carnegie Challenge Fund. The Carnegie Challenge is a fund to enable not-for-profit organisations to put on a high calibre debate to raise the profile and impact of a conference or event which they are organising. Up to 10 awards of up to £3,000 are available and can be used to cover the expenses of panel members. The award should enable event organisers to attract leading professionals to speak at their event. It is hoped that this fund will allow organisers to attract national and international speakers to take part in a high calibre debate. The deadlines for submission are:

• 
  The end of February 2013 for events March to May
  
• 
  The end of May 2013 for events June to August
  
• 
  The end of August 2013 for events September to December.
  

Grants of up to £10,000 are available through the Comic Relief “Local Communities” program. The program, which is being managed locally by Community Foundations, support projects that benefit people who are excluded or disadvantaged through low income, rural or social isolation, age, disabilities, race, sexuality or gender. Priority is given to small, locally-based groups or organisations in areas of disadvantage that have a clear understanding of the needs of their community and are undertaking actions as a means of addressing these needs. The program is currently open for applications (please check with your community foundation to find out when their deadline date is - there may be periods when the grant round temporarily closes.).

The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has announced that the next funding round of its Inspiring Women in Enterprise will open on the 3rd June 2013. Through the programme organisations that support women setting up their own business can apply for grants of up to £50,000. This can include:

• 
  Delivering enterprise education
  
• 
  Innovative networking events
  
• 
  Developing entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, etc.
  

Derwentside’s Enterprising Women (DEW) which received funding to build a female entrepreneurial network to support women starting, developing and expanding businesses in Derwentside.

Croydon Business Venture Ltd, which received support through the programme support women-led businesses in South London through a dedicated training programme.

http://www.inspiringenterprise.rbs.com/inspiring-women

Connecting Classrooms – Partnership Grants (UK)

The British Council has announced the Connecting Classrooms programme is open for applications. Through the programme UK schools that have existing partnerships with schools in South America, Africa and South Asia can apply for funding to cover reciprocal visits and to support project work. Schools can apply for an annual grant of £1,500 for each school in the partnership. The grant must be spent on reciprocal partnership visits. If all the grant is not spent, the remainder can be used for project resources and communication costs. To be eligible for funding partnerships must work towards three objectives. These are:

• 
  Increasing global citizenship
  
• 
  Enriching education
  
• 
  Developing an equitable and sustainable partnership.
  

Sport England has announced that its £40 million Community Sport Activation Fund grant scheme will re-open for applications on the 7th May 2013. Through the Community Sport Activation Fund grants of between £50,000 and £250,000 will be available to sports clubs, schools, local authorities and other not for profit organisations to support grassroots sports activities at a very local level. The type of activities that can be funded include:

• 
  Activities reflecting a broad range of sports
  
• 
  Informal opportunities which could lead to regular participation
  
• 
  Multi-sport activities which provide people with a range of choices and opportunities to suit them
  
• 
  Family orientated activities with a focus on 14 plus age group
  
• 
  Local activator roles that focus on directly organising and delivering new opportunities for participation.
  

Heart Research UK (HRUK) is inviting applications from community groups, voluntary organisations and registered charities through their new SUBWAY/HRUK Healthy Heart Grants. Grants of up to £10,000 are available in different SUBWAY regions to support projects that strongly promote heart health, not just healthy lifestyles. Previous projects supported include:

A grant of £8,900 to the Swindon Tamil Association to run activities, including ‘Bharathanatyam’, a popular South Asian dance, and healthy heart cooking workshops, to get the community exercising and eating more healthily.

For details of the application periods for each region click on the link below. http://www.heartresearch.org.uk/grants/subwayhhg

The Worshipful Company of Weavers has announced that its Benevolent Fund is open to applications.

The Fund is available to small registered charities and seeks to support projects working:

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  With disadvantaged young people aged from 5 to 30 years of age
  
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  To ensure they are given every possible chance to meet their full potential and to participate fully in society
  
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  Projects that addresses the social and economic problems faced by offenders, and ex-offenders and their families, and provide them with support, life skills training and a way back into education, training and/or employment.
  

The Henry Smith’s Charity is accepting applications through its Holiday Grant for Children Programme. Applications can be made by schools, youth groups, not for profit organisations and charities for grants towards holidays or outings within the UK for children aged 13 and under who are from areas of high deprivation, are experiencing disadvantage, or those who have a disability. Applications can be considered for holidays or outings that have the objective of providing children with a break they would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience. The maximum grant available is £2,500 for any one trip. Grants are normally limited to a maximum of two-thirds of the total cost of a trip as we would expect some local partnership funding to be in place. There are no closing dates and applications can be submitted at any time.

Microsoft has announced the launch of Britain Works Initiative, and NGO programme which provides resources and connects UK registered charities working in the employability arena. This initiative is aimed at helping 500,000 people into employment by giving them access to vital IT skills over the next 3 years. By becoming a Britain Works NGO Programme Partner charities will be able to access resources, software, training curriculum and dedicated events and webinars. UK registered charities with an employability programme or who are looking to set up an employability programme in 2010 you can register to join the Britain Works NGO Programme free of charge. To register your interest, please email britwork@microsoft.com . Applications can be submitted at any time.

The Alec Dickson Trust provides grants of up to £500 to help young people of up to 30 or small groups of young people run a volunteering project in their local area. The fund seeks to support projects that enhance the lives of others, particularly those most marginalised by society such as:

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  The homeless
  
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  Those with drug dependency problems
  
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  People with disabilities.
  

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has announced a new £6million small grants programme to help communities mark the Centenary of the First World War.

First World War: then and now, will see £1million available per year for six years until 2019 via small grants ranging from £3,000 to £10,000. The awards will enable communities to conserve and share their First World War heritage and develop projects that improve understanding of the conflict. Focusing on:

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  The identification, recording and preservation of local heritage
  
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  The creation of community archives or collections
  
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  Exhibitions, trails, smartphone apps and creative material such as plays and music based on heritage sources, the idea is to create an enduring cultural and educational legacy for communities.
  

Organisations that work with young people have the opportunity to apply for grants through the Hilton Foundation.

Organisations such as charities and other not for profits can apply for grants ranging from a few hundred pounds up to £30,000 per year for up to 2 years that meet one of the Foundation's chosen areas of focus. These are:

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  Disabled children
  
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  Children in hospital
  
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  Young people who are homelessness
  
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  Life-limited children in hospices.
  

Heathrow Special Needs Farm as awarded £10,000 in 2010 for two years’ support for the costs of providing young people with disabilities and special educational needs the rural atmosphere of a working farm a stone’s throw from Europe’s busiest international airport. The next closing date for applications is 30th July 2013.

The BBC Performing Arts Fund has announced that its Theatre Fellowships grants programme is open for applications.

Theatre Fellowships offer bespoke placements within existing organisations and is designed to support individuals through the early stages of their theatre making careers. Through this scheme, the Performing Arts Funs hopes to increase the Fellows' skills through training and development opportunities tailored to the individual, to raise their aspirations, and to encourage their creativity. Rather than awarding grants directly to individuals themselves, the Fund is looking for applications from theatre companies, organisations, venues and festivals from across the UK to host a fellow.

The closing date for applications is the 22nd July 2013.

The MSE Charity has announced that its grants programme has re-opened for applications.

The MSE Charity provides grants to constituted community based groups (including schools) to help fight financial and consumer illiteracy and to educate and inform adults and children about consumer and debt issues. Under the programme, grants of up to £5,000 are available for group projects such as self-help groups, schools, workshops and other innovative schemes that seek to educate people about money, debt and consumer issues. Individuals over the age of 18 can apply for a grant of up to £500 to help pay towards a recognised and approved course that will help improve their ability to budget and manage their finances. The grant can be used to pay for financial education course fees and other associated expenses. Groups that have been supported in the past include:

The Nottingham Women’s Centre which received a grant of £3,850 to provide financial education training to at least 45 female ex-offenders to improve their financial well-being and build an independent life free of crime and debt; and Warm Hut UK, which received a grant of £4,582 to deliver financial education and advice for not less than 100 individuals recently given Refugees status or leave to remain in the country. The programme usually closes when 40 applications have been received. Total number of Applications received so far is 34.