[Community Radio] Community Radio Fund

[Alan Fransman]

This is a further reminder to send your comments and ideas about Ofcom's 
  Community Radio Fund to the CMA.

The initial call (below) was sent to the CMA lists on 3 September. 
Please send your ideas and comments by 5pm on Friday 10 September.

_______________________

Community Radio Fund

Ofcom is about to set up an awards committee to administer the Community 
Radio Fund. This fund is intended to support the emerging community 
radio sector. Other countries have similar funds: so you might like to 
look at www.cbf.com.au  and http://www.bci.ie/pdfs/BCI%20CRSS%20EN.pdf 
to see how a couple of others work.

How do you think this should work? Ideas, please, around the following 
considerations.


Given the size of the Fund (£500K) and an informed guess at the number 
of possible recipients, grants are likely to be around the £5-20K mark, 
or possibly more.  Ideally, this money should support costs that it 
would otherwise be difficult to find funding for, which are core to the 
operation of a station and lead to its sustainability. For example, 
financial administration. Perhaps several stations could club together 
and bid for one admin post?

Q1: What sorts of things would you like to see the Fund cover?

Q2: Do you think that stations should be able to put in joint applications?

Ofcom is a regulator, not a grant giver. The grants programme will need 
to be administered by a committee representing a range of interests and 
expertise

Q3: What sort of expertise would you like to see on this committee?

Q4: How independent should this committee be?

Q5: Would you like the CMA to be involved with the grant-making process?

Grants could be one-offs, or tapered. For example, £20K could be £10K 
year 1, £7K Year 2 and £3K year 3.

Q6: Do you think it is a good idea to have tapering grants?

Stations will not be allowed to include this grant in their funding 
applications. However, once they have been awarded a licence, they will 
be eligible to apply for a grant.

Q7: How long/often/when should the window for applications be open?

Q8: Should we - as Everitt suggested - demand verified match for any grant?

Q9: Are there similar grant making models you know about and would 
recommend?

Q10: What do you feel about the level of possible grants? Larger grants 
would mean fewer successful applicants.

Q11: Any other comments which would inform decisions around the working 
of the Community Media Fund?

Q12: Any other comments which should inform Government policy around the 
Community Radio Fund?


Answers, please, by Thursday 9th September.

Thank you!