£30 million Community Assets programme launched
The Community Assets fund, a £30 million programme to transfer public
buildings to local organisations, is now open to applications. The
programme is being launched with a series of regional workshops across
England.
Community Assets will offer grants of between £150,000 and £1 million to
refurbish local authority buildings, ensuring they are appropriate for
transfer to the third sector. The programme is being funded by the Office
of the Third Sector and delivered by the Big Lottery Fund.
The programme will strengthen third sector organisations, which will be
able to be more imaginative in providing services to their communities; and
benefit local people, who will be able to use high quality spaces for
community activities.
The Big Lottery Fund is holding regional seminars on Community Assets for
local authorities and their third sector partners between 4 and 14
September.
Application materials are available from the Big Lottery Fund's
website [external website].
Phil Hope, the Minister for the Third Sector, said:
"It's great that Community Assets is opening for applications.
This is a real opportunity for community groups and local authorities to
transform assets like community centres and other buildings into more
vibrant and valuable resources for the whole community.
"Community Assets is about bringing people together and giving
communities control over their own affairs, not simply painting buildings
and fixing roofs. Taking on ownership of an asset will help third sector
organisations to develop a base of independence and sustainability, which
will enable them to grow and respond better to the needs of local
people."
The Government recently ran a consultation on how Community Assets should
work. A summary of the consultation and the Government's response can
be found in the consultations section of the website.
