Thursday 8 May 2014

Special Educational Needs and Disability reforms facebook page

Hello readers

Here in the Strategic Commissioning Team we are working on meeting new legislation around the Children and Families Act 2014. In particular, I am supporting the development work around the Local Offer aspect (more information here)

If you have a disability or special educational need, or are a parent to a child with SEND or if you work with children and families then you may like to share your experiences with us so that the reforms can shape themselves around real examples and address real issues.

If you wish to keep up to date with developments for North Somerset around the Local Offer or would like to get involved and have your say, please come on over to the Facebook group here.

Thanks all,

Heather

The last Strategic Commissioning Team funding update

Dear all

As you will most all know by now, we have been able to commission Voluntary Action North Somerset to continue the development for Local Commissioning Networks for the next two years. Part of the contract with VANS is to help you, LCNs, to find and apply for funding opportunities. Therefore, this will be the last funding bulletin from us here in the team and your network should make contact with VANS directly if you wish to have a custom funding search conducted. This service is offered to you for free as part of our contract with VANS.

I hope you have found the bulletins useful. Please don’t forget to take advantage of the support we have commissioned from VANS.

Thanks for reading,

Heather and the team
 
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Date:  07 April 2014
Funder:  vInspired Cashpoint
Amount:  £500
Use:
Deadline:
If you’re 14 – 25 and have an idea that will solve a problem in your community, we want to help. 

How?  We’re offering grants of up to £500 to turn your ideas into reality, and get your projects off the ground.  The great thing about vInspired Cashpoint is that once funding’s signed off you run your project the way you want to.

We’ve already changed many young people’s lives and transformed communities for the better.

Find out more at  vInspired.com
Ongoing
Funder: Biffaward
Amount: Up to £500,000
Use:
Deadline:
A multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to environmental and community projects across the UK.  You can apply for up to £50,000 for projects that improve community facilities and enhance biodiversity through the Main Grants programme, up to £5,000 to improve local amenities and encourage wildlife through the Small Grants Programme, and up to £500,000 for regional projects to improve biodiversity or cultural facilities through the Flagship Grants.

To find out more, visit the Biffaward website
Ongoing
Funder: The Cinnamon Network Micro-Grants (England)
Amount:  £1,500, which has to be matched
Use:
Deadline:
A contribution to the costs of starting (not extending or ongoing support) a Cinnamon Network recognised church-based community project.  To meet local need as well as to mobilise volunteers and receive regular financial support.

For further information, visit the Cinnamon Network website
No deadlines.  Available on a first come, first served basis
Funder: Idlewild Trust
Amount:  Discretionery
Use:
Deadline:
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 lands, buildings and other objects of beauty or historic interest in the United Kingdom.

For further information, please visit the Idlewild Trust website
24 September for a Trustees’ meeting in November 2014
Funder: Sobell Foundation
Amount: Discretionary
Use:
Deadline:
We provide grants to fund projects and activities benefiting children, the sick, elderly, needy and disabled.  The Trustees aim to achieve a reasonable spread between Jewish charities operating principally in the UK and Israel) and non-Jewish charities operating in the UK.

We will only consider applications from charities registered with the Charity Commission, or charities that hold a Certificate of Exemption from the Inland Revenue.  We concentrate our funding on small national or local charities, and are unlikely to support large national charities which enjoy wide support. 

Funding is restricted to the following areas:

·         Medical care and treatment, including respite care and hospices
·         Care for physically and mentally disabled adults and children
·         Education and training for adults and children with physical and learning disabilities
·         Care and support of the elderly
·         Care and support for children
·         Homelessness

Information on how to apply can be found on the Sobell Foundation website
None mentioned
Funder: The Freemasons’ Grand Charity
Amount:  Discretionary
Use:
Deadline:
Supports organisations that help people with a wide variety of problems including disability, care for the seriously ill, care for older people, deprivation, homelessness and poverty.

Grants might fund a salary or deliver a specific project.  Grants may be made for capital projects provided that the application is for an identifiable element of the project.

Any request for project funding will need to include a detailed project plan, budget, timetable, objectives, milestones and intended outcomes.  Evidence of successful outcomes will need to be provided with applications for ongoing projects.

Funding may be granted for up to three-year periods in certain circumstances where there is evidence of an on-going need for charitable grant funding.

For further details on how to apply for either a major or minor grant, please visit the Grand Charity website.
Applications are currently being accepted for consideration at the meeting to be held in July 2014.

Wednesday 7 May 2014

VANS - good governance training

Good Governance training–
How is my group/organisation doing?

Good Governance lies at the heart of successful voluntary organisations and
community groups. Management Committees work hard on behalf of their groups and organisations and often find it difficult to spare the time to reflect on how they are doing.

This short workshop will provide you with practical examples and tools to help you and your Management Committee assess how effectively you are working together and support and guidance to help you to work together more effectively in the future.

When? Wednesday June 4th, 2014 10am – 12.30pm
Where? McDonald,s training room, McDonald’s Restaurant, 46 Regent St, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset BS23 1SL

Previous participants said....
'We were really pleased that we took the time out to attend this short workshop, the trainer had many years’ experience of Management Committees from large organisations to small community groups. It helped us think about what we were doing well and gave us practical examples to help us work together better'
'The pace of this short workshop was just right! I wasn't sure what to expect but found it extremely useful to think about how our Management Committee worked and where we could work together better to make sure our organisation was sustainable.'
The Trainer: Helen Black, Chief Officer CVS South Gloucestershire

Helen has worked with voluntary organisations, community groups and social
enterprises for over 16 years. As a Manager/Deputy Manager of three Charities for last nine years she has a wide range of experience of supporting Boards of Trustees and Management Committees and developing good governance. As a Trustee of the local Village Hall, Helen also has a practical understanding of the realities and challenges faced by Management Committees of small volunteer led organisations.

Cost: £40 for VANS members, £90 for non-members
Booking is essential
01934410192 info@vansmail.org.uk