The Community Ownership and Management of Assets programme (COMA) is a national programme run by Locality and Community Matters. COMA supports partnerships between local public bodies (such as local authorities) and community groups to develop multiple asset transfer or single, ground breaking asset projects. Up to 50 partnership areas will take part in COMA in 2015/16.
In May a partnership made up of Macc, Manchester City Council (MCC) and 4CT applied for Manchester to be one of the COMA partnership areas. This was successful and the Manchester version of this national programme is called MCAP (Manchester Community Assets Pilot). The partnership is supported by Steve Conway from Community Matters.
MCAP aims:
MCAP will help bring about assets transfers from Manchester City Council that are:
- Safe
- have a long term future
- put local communities in control of managing assets
and this will support thriving local neighbourhoods, that are welcoming to all and offer a decent future for everyone.
MCAP offers groups:
- A programme of five free workshops to help you decide if asset transfer is right for your group
- Tailored 1:1 follow up support from a named key contact
- Help securing additional funding to cover the costs of exploring asset transfer. (This will be different for each group but could include things like legal advice, building or land surveys, putting a business / financial plan together)
Groups taking part in MCAP will be supported to:
- understand the financial and organisational risk involved when considering asset transfer
- understand the impact asset transfer will have on their group and the different kinds of organisations that can safely manage assets
- get the right support and advice
- understand what’s involved in running and managing a community asset
- access professional independent support during the asset transfer decision process and post asset transfer
- be part of a support network of similar organisations, during the Community Asset Transfer process and afterwards
Through MCAP local groups will work with MCC and delivery partners to test and develop a Community Asset Transfer process for Manchester that meets the needs of local groups, is clear and open to all. We will work with 10-15 groups together, making sure everyone has access to the same quality information while reducing duplication. The project will also improve the capacity of local support organisations like Macc to support Community Asset Transfers.
How to get involved:
For the pilot we will be inviting groups already in contact/negotiation with MCC about transfer of a specific asset to apply. If you are not invited to apply but are interested in Community Asset Transfer we will be running a two day free workshop ‘An introduction to Community Asset Transfer’ in September. Come along to find out if asset transfer could be right for your group and what additional support could be offered outside this project. Email: [email protected] for more information.
Groups invited to apply will be asked to fill in an Expression of interest form, telling us about their group, the asset they are considering and the difference the asset transfer would make to the groups users and the wider local community.
Eligibility Criteria
Groups invited to apply will be:
- A voluntary community group or social enterprise (not for private profit)
- Based or working in Manchester
- Have a specific asset transfer in mind
- Already be in contact with MCC about this asset
- Have at least three members on your management committee or board
- Have commitment from your Management Committee or board and be willing to actively participate in the programme. For details about what this means see here
- Have a bank account in the name of your group
- Be willing to work with Macc to secure more funding to support your asset transfer
If the pilot is successful the delivery partnership aims to secure more funding so we can run the programme again and make it available to more Manchester groups.
