Voluntary organisations and community groups will, as a result of this new service, be able to:

• identify and access information on local, regional and national funding sources suitable for their activities and services;
• write better funding applications;
• develop good practice in fundraising techniques, project planning, financial management, monitoring and reporting;
• access small grants through local grant providers;
• identify, apply for and manage funding from a wide range of funding sources.

John Gelder, Director of Voluntary and Community Action South Bedfordshire, said when details of the grant were announced “We are delighted to receive this grant from the Big Lottery Fund to develop a much needed Funding Advice service over the next three years.  This project will have a significant impact on local voluntary groups.  Staff, volunteers and trustees working in a wide range of voluntary organisations and community groups will be able to gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to develop, secure and manage the funding they require in a more sustainable way”.

Research nationally and locally recognises that there is a need to increase expertise of fundraising, procurement and social enterprise so that frontline organisations are better able to generate income.  Developing more effective fundraising skills is amongst the highest priority skill needs for the voluntary and community sector.

The provision of an effective Funding Advice service has been a long term objective of Voluntary and Community Action South Bedfordshire.  Discussions with members and users have enabled it to define the shape of the service: information on funding sources, advice and assistance with the completion of applications, access to local funding sources and capacity building to develop their fundraising and fund management skills.  In our most recent User Survey (December 2004) 82% of users indicated that the need to increase funding was amongst their top priorities.

Voluntary and Community Action has been delivering funding advice to voluntary organisations and community groups on an occasional and informal basis for the last five years.  During this time it has seen the number of enquiries increase to the extent that their current capacity was unable to meet demand.  35% of their current enquiries are related to funding advice.

Ends.

Notes to Editors

• Voluntary and Community Action South Bedfordshire is committed to strengthening the effectiveness of the voluntary and community sector in South Bedfordshire by developing, enabling, promoting and supporting local voluntary and community action.  It seeks to achieve this through advocacy; capacity building activities; enhancing the provision of volunteering opportunities; the exchange of information; the provision of training, advice and consultancy; and by working in partnership with others.
• The Government's Capacity Building and Infrastructure Framework for the Voluntary and Community Sector (ChangeUp, Home Office, June 2004) and its work on building civil renewal (Firm Foundations, Home Office, December 2004) both cite financing voluntary and community sector activity as a key priority.