The Big Lottery want to help Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations which are delivering important services, but currently facing challenges, to plan for the future. Delivered by the Big Lottery Fund on behalf of the Office for Civil Society, the Local Sustainability Fund aims to help these organisations become stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient, to ensure they prosper and continue to support beneficiaries in future years.
There are two aspects to the programme a VCSE Diagnostic Tool and the Local Sustainability Fund.
VCSE Diagnostic Tool
The Big Lottery’s experience is that the very best VCSE organisations have a strong understanding of their strengths and how they can improve further. The Lottery want to make it easy for you to assess your organisation’s strengths, build on what you do well and identify where you need to focus on changing how you work.
Organisations are encouraged to access and use the online VCSE Diagnostic Tool regardless of whether they are eligible or interested in financial support from the Local Sustainability Fund.
The Local Sustainability Fund
The Office for Civil Society has made funding available for medium sized voluntary organisations to plan for and start to change the way they work. The organisations which can apply for this funding will be chosen from those who complete the VCSE Diagnostic Tool.
The organisations that are offered funding will be those with a strong track record of delivering services and empowering their beneficiaries, who are experiencing some current challenges, and which with targeted support, can have a strong long term future.
Working with an advisor
If you are invited to apply for funding, The Lottery don’t expect you to do this by yourself. You will need to work with an advisor, someone with the experience and expertise to advise and help you evaluate, plan, and deliver the change that is best for your organisation. The advisor could be someone you have worked with before, a consultant, or someone from a similar organisation – but you must be able to explain how and why you chose them, and how they will be able to help you.
Contact Manchester Community Central on 0333 321 3021 or email: [email protected] for more information or support with completing the diagnostic tool or in finding an advisor. We are happy to be considered as an advisor, please contact us if you’d like to discuss this further.
Working with a local business
The Lottery are aware that charities and social enterprises partnering with local businesses can be of great benefit to both parties. As such, The Lottery are keen that any organisation invited to make an application for funding from the LSF also work with a local business.
How much is available?
The Lottery hope to be able to fund about 260 projects across England at an average grant size of around £70,000.
For further information and to apply, visit: https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/england/local-sustainability-fund, or contact 0345 410 2030.
Deadline to complete the diagnostic tool: Sunday 26 July 2015
June to August 2015: Complete a change plan - Using the results of the VCSE Diagnostic Tool, think about the changes you want to make, and how you will make them, either with or without funding.
September – October 2015: Complete applications and a change plan - Using the results of the VCSE Diagnostic Tool, think about the changes you want to make, and how you will make them, either with or without funding.
End October 2015: Deadline for submitting applications and associated documents
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 prog_local_sustainability_fund_leaflet.pdf | 106.15 KB |