Capacity Building

The main purpose of the Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) fund is to reach disadvantaged communities and individuals; to enable them to participate in learning, with progression towards further learning and/or sustainable employment as a key theme.

The City Council’s and MAES’ priority is to tackle the issue of worklessness amongst key groups in the most deprived wards of the City, particularly those residents in receipt of out of work benefits. Therefore this is the target group for this funding.

The new CASH Grants Programme for 2013-14 has now been launched. This funding is available to spend on projects in the ward that meet identified local priorities.

What can be funded?
You can apply for any amount up to the full allocation for your ward. Your project should be something that benefits your neighbourhood, for eg. improving your local environment, building a stronger sense of community spirit, or helping to reduce crime or antisocial behaviour. Manchester City Council are looking for imaginative ideas that help to tackle issues in original and creative ways.

To offer employment on a fixed-term contract is common practice for many organisations, especially when posts are funded only for a set period of time.

So when the funding expires, and no new funding has been secured, then the employee just reaches the end of their contract and leaves……right? In reality it isn’t as simple as that.

In the current model of capacity building support, we have a limited budget to spot purchase expertise from other providers. Learning from our experience of the past three years and through listening to feedback, we are implementing some changes.

£30,400 is available in each of the five Wythenshawe wards (Baguley, Brooklands, Northenden, Sharston and Woodhouse Park), which is less than in previous years. Applications must be for projects based in the local area that address local priorities and deliver community benefit.

It is strongly recommend that applications are made as soon as possible because funds are limited and uptake will be very high. Applications will be considered and awarded on a rolling basis and are likely to be allocated early in the financial year.

New data released from NCVO’s UK Civil Society Almanac 2013 shows the powerful effect that high inflation had on charity sector finances in recent years. NCVO's UK Civil Society Almanac 2013 examines charities' accounts for financial year 2010/11.

In cash terms, the charity sector generated an extra £2bn in income in 2010/11 compared to the previous year, with a total income of £38.3bn. But rising costs – inflation was at 5% – wiped out the effect of this increase and meant that the sector’s real-terms income was almost identical to its level in 2009/10.

Locality is providing support and grants to help hundreds of areas across the country create neighbourhood plans, with a £9.5m fund available.

What is Neighbourhood Planning?
The Localism Act 2011 introduces statutory Neighbourhood Planning in England. It enables communities to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan for their area and is intended to give communities more of a say in the development of their local area (within certain limits and parameters).

Do you work in your local community?
Do you want to do more, more easily?
Digital tools could help you, and Community How To has brought together loads of tools on their website.

The service helps community and third sector organisations find digital tools which could help groups do more of what they do best, and helps groups to share their ideas and tools with others.

The Trustees favour small-scale, locally based initiatives. Funding is primarily for one-off projects, but the Trustees are willing to consider funding running costs (including core cost and salaries).

The grants available are:
• Small grants of between £100 - £5,000
• Large grants of over £5,000

The majority of grants are for less than £5,000.