[cma-l] Power to change funding

[Lucinda Guy]

Hi Everyone,
Bill and I met with the people at 'Power to Change' which distributes
lottery money to help social businesses to grow. We're aware that several
CMA members had made unsuccessful applications, and wondered how we might
help, and raise awareness of community media and its impact.
There is a deadline for their Community Business Fund next week, and there
will be further rounds next year.
http://www.thepowertochange.org.uk/funding/grants/community-business-fund/
We had a really good discussion with one of their grant managers, and have
some advice to pass on.
Hope you find this helpful.
Lucinda

*Tip**s for CMA members who are applying to the Community Business Fund*

There are two funds that may be of interest to CMA members. The Community
Business Fund (CBF), and the Bright Ideas Fund, which will reopen next
year. If you are not ready to apply to the CBF, eg do not have a business
plan already, then the Bright Ideas Fund may be more suitable.

The CBF has grants of between £50K and £300K for “step change” in trading
income and financial viability/sustainability. Power to Change funding is
for organisations serving a tightly defined neighbourhood – such as a one
or two wards of a city, or a village in a rural area. You should
demonstrate how you reach many different types of people who live in this
neighbourhood, and not just work with one specific group.

If you are a licensed station, talk about your licence range, which will
usually be for a 5km radius, and about the location of your studio – who
comes through the door? What happens there as well as the broadcasts? How
does it forward community development just by being there for people?

There are four criteria that all CBF applicants will need to meet:

1) Locally rooted

The idea needs to have come from the local community, not from an outside
individual or organisation stepping in to try to change things. This is
grassroots action. Communities are defined geographically – not as
communities of interest. The project needs to be open to and accessible by
all groups of people. An example was a social centre for people with
learning disabilities. This includes a café which all people, not just
people with disabilities, can access. The centre can be hired out by other
community groups as well.

2) Community Accountability

There are many types of community accountability. This could include being
a membership organisation, holding consultation sessions, etc. We noticed
this overlaps a lot with key commitments. For example, how can local people
become members/volunteers/presenters at a station? Do you have a regular
feedback show to review your output? Do you have members meetings etc? How
can volunteers become board members, and have a say in the running of
things? Do you plan programming in a democratic way? Show how local people
have ownership of your project.

3) Trading

This means non-grant income. They are only interested in organisations who
are already trading, and who want to trade more. A good model is where
grants are just for extra activities, not to support the running costs. We
discussed how sometimes organisations are unclear of how to categorise
their income. For example, a service level agreement with a local council
or school – is this grant or trading? This can be a grey area. There is no
cut off point for what percentage of your income should be from trading,
but the applications are quite competitive, so the more trading the better.
Show how it can grow realistically, not too rapidly. They need to see a
clear trading model – what products/services is the organisation going to
trade in? How does that build on existing types and levels of trading?

4) Broad Community Impact

Impact is about how you are changing lives. This could be a wide range of
things – we would advise you to talk more about those who come through the
door, than those who tune in. This could include how people learn skills,
an apprenticeship programme, reducing loneliness and isolation, etc. They
don't want to see just one specific group benefiting from a project, this
needs to be broad. When developing new resources, they need to see the
right balance, to show sustainability. For example, if they were to fund a
new training studio, how would it be accessed by different groups? Who
would pay – and at what rates. Different rates for different customers
could mean it brings in a good income, whilst being accessible to all.

-- 





*Artistic DirectorSoundart Radio 102.5 fmwww.soundartradio.org.uk
<http://www.soundartradio.org.uk>Higher Close, Dartington Hall,*
*Devon **TQ9 6EP*


*Soundart Radio is a licensed community radio station and a Company Limited
by Guarantee Registered in England and Wales No. 6299911*
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