Community First – small grants for not-for-profit groups and organisations working in Broad Green, Selhurst, Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Woodside, or West Thornton wards
£30 Million has been made available nationally from the Government to fund community projects in some of the most deprived areas of the country. These wards in Croydon fall into that category of high deprivation and thus have been able to draw down funding for local projects in those specific neighbourhoods. Potentially, around £385,000 is available until 2015 for local projects in those Croydon wards. The programme helps communities come together to identify their strengths and local priorities in order to plan for their future and become more resilient. It funds both new and existing community groups. People are encouraged to give time, expertise and resources towards the projects they identify in their areas.
Community First is a matched fund programme, which means that every £1 provided in funding must be matched by a similar amount of in-kind donations by the group (this means donations of cash, services, free products or volunteer time). The Community First Programme runs until March 2015, and funds will be made available each year for the panels to distribute in small grants.
The range of fundable activities is quite broad, but all successful projects will meet at least one of the following outcomes:
- improve the quality of life for local people
- promote a sense of ownership and pride in the area
- start more neighbourhood groups or revitalise existing networks
- neighbourhoods play a more leading role in regenerating their area
Organisations can apply for funding between £250 and £2500 in any one funding year. The first deadline is Friday 8th June 2012. There is a workshop at CVA this Friday 25th May for groups interested in applying (0208 253 7060).
Family Learning Festival 2012 – some funding for Croydon groups
Family Learning Week in Croydon has changed its name to Family Learning Festival and this year will be taking place during the week 05/10/12 until 12/10/12. As usual, CALAT will be coordinating a variety of fun activities for families in central Croydon over the first weekend of the Festival, from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th October. However, due to budget pressures, they will unfortunately no longer be able to fund as many events in schools and children’s centres this year as they have in the past.
What they can offer:
- Publicity for your events on the Croydon Council website and CALAT website
- Postcards for all Croydon children via schools and children’s centres with information about central Croydon activities and website addresses. A larger version of this will be available in all libraries
- Funding and tutors (if needed) for Family Learning activities during the Festival week which will be used to engage families onto further CALAT Family Learning programmes
What you can do:
- Contact the Family Learning team on 020 8662 5571 or via the email address below to discuss Family Learning programmes to be launched during the Family Learning Festival by the end of May 2012
- Make the most of the Family Learning Festival to organise your own events for your families during the week
- Complete the form at http://www.talk2croydon.co.uk/blog/children-young-people-families-network/family-learning-festival-2012-some-funding-croydon-group and send it back to Catherine by 6 July 2012 to have publicity about your events put in CALAT publicity
There may be some venues available in central Croydon, such as in Surrey Street. Contact the Family Learning team if you would like to know more. If you wish for any further discussion about Family Learning Festival 2012 or about funding/setting up courses from January 2013, contact Catherine Rhys (Wider Family Learning Manager) on 020 8662 5571 or email catherine.rhys@croydon.gov.uk
Update on Early Intervention and Family Support commissioning (re-tendering of Lot 1)
This is the feedback from last Friday’s (18th May) workshop organised by the Council on Lot 1:
- Service specifications will be published on the portal this week.
- Service specifications should not differ greatly from the previous round.
- Only the lead partner will need to submit an application and all the policies and procedures requested.
- Only the lead partner will need to register on the portal https://www.londontenders.org/procontract/supplier.nsf/frm_opportunity?openForm&opp_id=OPP-HIS-DNWC-8UBLML&search_id=PLAN-SCHDNWC-8UJL52&contract_id=CONTRACT-DNWC-8UBLHN&org_id=ORG-DNWB-7LUGVS&from=
The Council has already commissioned in January a number of organisations to deliver family services in the Borough, including LifeLine, Croydon Health Services, CALAT, National Autistic Society etc for the next three years. The Early Intervention and Family Support Services team (EIFS) have put together a directory of family services in Croydon that includes the groups that were commissioned with a paragraph on the services they will provide from April 2012.
