Grassroots Grants
Grassroots Grants is a £130million scheme which aims to provide much needed access to small grants for local community groups. The programme, which will run from 2008-2011 will be divided into two parts:
- an £80million small grants fund for local funders and community organisations; and
- a £50million endowments programme to enable local funders to generate additional donations on a matched basis and invest them in endowments.
Background
The Government's intention to provide £80 million in small grants to community organisations and £50 million endowments funds to local foundations over the CSR years of 2008-2011 was announced in, ‘The future role of the third sector in social and economic regeneration’ published by the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury in July 2007. This involved the widest ever consultation with the third sector through which small organisations told the government that they were often unable to get the small amounts of money they needed to do their work.
In December 2007 the OTS announced that the Community Development Foundation would be its lead national partner in delivering the scheme, called ‘Grassroots Grants’.
The programme
The Government wants the smallest, volunteer-led organisations to thrive and direct their energies to the particular challenges they see in their local community, especially in giving a voice to marginalised groups. The Government recognises the work of these grassroots groups and is taking this action to support them.
A vital part of the programme are the local funders that will help deliver the money where it is needed. Local funders will also raise and build the endowments to sustain funding in the future.
Grassroots Grants launched in January 2008 when the CDF invited local third sector funders in each top-tier local authority area of England to apply to become a local partner in delivering the scheme. They are looking for local funders with experience of grant giving and managing endowments, that can prove their ability to reach out to the most vulnerable people and marginalised groups in our communities.
Overall, we expect the programme to improve access to funding for grassroots groups, seeing more funding invested in the organisations. In turn, this will increase their capacity to respond to local issues and strengthen both the grassroots groups and the local funders in each area, leading to stronger communities through increased local impact.
After assessing the applications, the CDF selected 63 local funders to distribute grants and set up endowments. Details of the local funders can be found on the CDF website or by calling the Grassroots Grants helpline on 01223 400 331 or emailing grassroots@cdf.org.uk.
