Falkirk Funders Fayre 2024 will take place exactly 2 months from today!

Taking advantage of this, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to spotlight some of the funders who will be attending the event for the first time ever, ahead of their visit to speak with Falkirk District’s third sector.

Spotlights

The Community Ownership Fund (COF)

The COF runs until March 2025, with £150 million to help communities across the UK take ownership of local assets at risk of closure – particularly relevant to organisations across Falkirk looking into community asset transfers (CAT) and leases.

COF was launched by the UK Government in 2021 as part of its Levelling Up work, designed as part of a package of UK wide levelling-up interventions building opportunity and empowering communities to improve their local places. It is managed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, and supports projects which fulfil one (or a combination) of the following aims:

take ownership of a physical community asset at risk, such as land and buildings, which benefit local people
renovate, repair, or refurbish an asset to make it sustainable for the long term
set up or buy a community business
buy associated stock, collections, or intellectual property
move a community asset to a new, more appropriate location within the same community. This might be because a different location offers better value to continue the asset, or because the venue is in itself an asset of community value
develop new assets where these relate to saving, preserving, or relocating a past or existing asset

Some of the sector will remember the COF team from our CAT information series of online sessions, “An Informed Choice”. During the Funders Fayre, attendees will be able to speak to them in-depth with any eligibility or application queries they have.

Ahead of speaking with the COF team at Falkirk Funders Fayre, we would recommend checking the dedicated COF guide (linked for your convenience) around eligibility, and whether this would be the correct funding option for your CAT journey.

Our own team are always available to support you and your group around community asset transfer, before, during and after the Funders Fayre – please contact us by phone: 01324 692000, or email: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk

the William Syson Foundation

Set up in 2012 by William “Bill” Syson, an enthusiastic and long-time supporter of music and the visual arts, particularly in Scotland. His main objective in setting up the Foundation was to help provide opportunities for practice and enjoyment of the arts, and to assist and encourage the country’s next generation of musical and artistic talent.

The Foundation supports projects and activities promoting the advancement of the arts, heritage and culture, including (but not restricted to) promoting, developing and ensuring the practice and enjoyment of the arts, including music, the visual arts, theatre and literature. The Foundation’s trustees have a particular (but not exclusive) focus on Scottish organisations and individuals resident in Scotland.

They currently have 2 active grants programmes, the Beatrice Huntington Award for Cellists (linked for your convenience), and their Small Grants Fund, which will open its next round less than a month after the Funders Fayre – leaving plenty of time for groups to prepare and strengthen their applications!

Applying organisations must:

have a Core Object or Purpose to provide opportunities for the practice and enjoyment of the arts
have annual income of less than £500,000
be based in Scotland and operating for the benefit of people in Scotland (and if a charity, must be registered in Scotland)
be constituted as a charity or a non-profit organisation, have a bank account in the name of the organisation, have been operating for at least 12 months and be able to supply annual audited or examined accounts
not have received funding from the Foundation within the last 12 months, or applied in the same time period (whether successful or not)

If this sounds like you and your group or organisation, check out the full eligibility criteria on the Foundation’s website, and make sure to speak with them at the Funders Fayre by booking your place!

the Virgin Money Foundation

The Virgin Money Foundation works to promote sustainable regeneration of communities, and supports organisations and people with the vision to change their communities for the better:

“Our ambition is to make a real and lasting difference in the places that need it most by working in partnership with organisations who are committed to regenerating their area and investing in community activities that have a meaningful impact.

“We want to see vibrant, flourishing and diverse local communities exist in places once impacted by social and economic decline. So we back people who are proud of their local area and are leading social change.” (source)

The Foundation is supported by Virgin Money, with their Virgin Money colleagues also donating significant time helping funded organisations through volunteering. They currently have funds aimed at community anchor organisations, young change makers, and have supported a range of successful applicants across the UK since 2015, awarding over £13 million to these projects and initiatives.

Their website also features a series of resources, plus the Foundation’s blog.

For further information on their work and the funding available, please visit the Virgin Money Foundation website.

We’re so excited to have these funders, and our other stallholders, join us for our 10^th anniversary event!

Event Information

Falkirk Funders Fayre will take place on Tuesday 19^th March, 10am – 2pm at the Bowhouse Community Centre, 130 Bowhouse Road, Grangemouth, FK3 0EU. The event is completely free, and open to any third sector groups and organisations working in the District. You can book your free place now via the Eventbrite page.

Alternatively, contact our team by phone: 01324 692000, or email: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk