Core grants programme
Please note that the council's core grants programme for 2023/24 has been agreed (see item 8 : London Borough of Hillingdon - Agenda for cabinet on Thursday, 15th December, 2022, 7pm). 17 different groups will benefit from a programme of £1.6m. This report also sets out proposals to move from an annual grants programme to longer term commissioning of services with effect from April 2024.
Information and advice
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations offers a range of on-line support and advice for getting started in setting up and developing a voluntary organisation see: Help and guidance | NCVO.
For general information, advice, and support in Hillingdon, please contact the Voluntary Services Partnerships Team at voluntarypartnerships@Hillingdon.gov.uk.
Thinking about setting up a new group
Before you set up a community group you need to be clear what type of activity you want to run and why, including being clear on the purpose and the role of the group. Ask yourself the following questions.
- is there a real local need for this project or activity?
- what is the aim of the group and what does it want to achieve?
- who will benefit / who are you targeting? - the local community in general, those with specific needs or a particular age group?
- how will it improve the local neighbourhood, people's quality of life or make a significant positive difference to people's lives?
- are there any others in the area operating a similar service, planning a similar event or activity?
- how will we get others involved, or are there ways of working with them?
Speak to Voluntary Services Team on how we can help you with this at voluntarypartnerships@Hillingdon.gov.uk.
Hillingdon Compact
Hillingdon Compact (PDF, 109 KB) provides a framework governing how the council and the sector should work together.
Fundraising
There are a number of potential funding schemes to which local groups can consider applying. These can also change from time to time. Common to most funding routes is a need to demonstrate strong organisation and governance for the group plus a clear sense of strategic direction and to demonstrate what a requested grant would be used for, why this is needed, and that it represents good value for money. You might also consider whether any other people are doing something similar and explore collaborations and alliances.
Some helpful potential funders:
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is an innovative way for local residents or organisations to raise funds from the local community for projects that improve where they live or to deliver local activities and services.
If you want to enhance your street or neighbourhood, improve the local park or play area or simply bring people together, you may find that crowdfunding provides you with a viable and successful alternative to applying for grants or other types of external funding.
It is a method of financing projects through requesting many small donations from a large group of people and the 'crowd' in crowdfunding refers to the people, or organisations that provide the money.
The donations man come through family, friends, neighbours, local businesses and anyone else who wants to support your project.
Crowdfunding can be used by Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) groups in Hillingdon to make their great ideas and projects a reality. It is good for one-off, short-term projects or for raising start-up capital for a new project. Projects ranging from sports clubs, playgrounds, scout huts can be considered for crowdfunding.
Online crowdfunding platforms
The funding process can also be facilitated by dedicated websites or online platforms. Here is a selection of the best known ones in the UK:
- Crowdfunder
A donations and community shares based crowdfunding platform which is open to a broad range of projects from community groups, businesses, charities and social enterprises. - CrowdPatch
A donations and rewards based crowdfunding platform which allows people to raise money for worthy projects, while also helping people meet people who live in the same community or have common interests. - Spacehive
A donations and rewards-based crowdfunding platform specifically for civic projects in public spaces, such as events, infrastructure, and installations.