Up to £15,000 available to community businesses through Locality Fund

Locality is offering grants of up to £15,000 to community business start-ups, through a new £3.2m fund. The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund, funded by Power to Change, will offer tailored support and grants of up to £15,000 to 150 groups to develop their projects. Over three years, the fund will give community groups early stage finance to carry out consultations with local people to develop a community business idea and will also give them support and tools to start setting up their community businesses. The funding programme is delivered by Locality in partnership with Co-operatives UK, the Plunkett Foundation and Groundwork UK. The tailored support programme is open to community groups, associations and organisations across England which have a good idea for a community business but need help developing it, or which are just starting out. Locality Chief Executive Tony Armstrong said: “The Bright Ideas Fund will give organisations a chance to make a real difference to the lives of people in their neighbourhoods by getting their community businesses off the ground. Whether you aim to start a local bus service, or set up a health and wellbeing centre, community businesses generate jobs, tackle social isolation and boost the local economy we want you to apply. People all over England are bursting with bright ideas and we are really keen to find them in the areas that need them most like Bradford, Leicester, Hartlepool, Plymouth, Grimsby, Liverpool and Bristol.” Kate Stewart, Director of Programmes at Power to Change, said: “As the organisation set up to support and grow community businesses in England, we’re delighted to be continuing Bright Ideas, to provide crucial support and funding for local people who have a great idea but need some support to make it a reality.” Between September 2016 and December 2018, the Bright Ideas Fund supported over 80 groups with £1.85m. Projects ranged from community cafes and veg box delivery services, to public baths and laundrettes. The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund will be open for applications from Tuesday 26 February until Tuesday 9 April. There will be additional funding rounds in August – September 2019 February 2020 – April 2020 August – September 2020 February 2021 – March 2021 There will also be a webinar on 11am – 12pm Wednesday 13 March 2019 about the application process, with online registration.    

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