As part of the Broxtowe project, we had hoped to organise a funding fair to introduce local and national funders to the voluntary groups in Broxtowe. However, with the knowledge that many funders are undergoing a strategy review, Helen Oparinde, NCVS’s Group Support Coordinator, came up with an alternative way to achieve similar goals – an online meet-the-funder event. Here she shares her overview.
Gary Beharrell, Regional Manager of Lloyds Bank Foundation, along with our new team member Fiona Fowkes, Central Administrator, and Helen, welcomed 25 delegates on a sunny morning in March.
Attendance included groups delivering services in the city, county and Broxtowe borough itself. Such as Brinsley Animal Rescue, a registered charity run on vegan values for animals by volunteers. And Harvest Community Haven CIC is operating in Beeston, providing a warm space, hot drinks, friendly chat, food bank, and social support to the community.
The Meet the Expert session started off with Gary explaining that the organisation is an independent charitable foundation funded by Lloyds Banking Group. Great if a charity or a social enterprise wants to bank with Lloyds, but either way, it will not determine any funding decision!
More than a funder
We learnt that the foundation is more than a funder, providing grants to small, local and specialist charities and CICs with an income of £25k to £500k. And how it has an active influencing role using research and evidence to push for changes to policy, practice and systems.
For example, the recent report How to create mission-driven partnerships with civil society organisations by the Future Governance Forum and New Philanthropy Capital explains how the foundation was a partner on this programme of work by facilitating the involvement of small and local charities in the research.
The report explains that the Labour Government, elected in July 2024, has committed to a mission-driven approach to national renewal, focused on growth, net zero, public health, safer streets, and breaking down the barriers to opportunity. With missions being a method for meeting the complexity of today’s societal challenges by A. shaping markets in line with social goals, B. reforming public services for long-term, preventative and sustainable change, and C. doing both of these things in deep partnership with the whole of society, including businesses and civil society organisations, in the humble knowledge that government cannot achieve those missions alone.
The report highlighted that lobbying act restrictions on campaigning as well as other factors had led to a culture of fear of external engagement within the civil service. With recommendation five embracing disagreement in the interests of better policy development and decision-making, encouraging ministers and civil servants to accept the dual role of civil society organisations in both contributing advice based on their expertise and delivering specialist services and holding government to account publicly. Explaining how civil society organisations can be contractors for (central or local) government without sacrificing their independence.
New grants to be awarded in 2025
In addition to the influencing role, we importantly learnt that 185 new grants will be awarded by the foundation in 2025. Their programmes of support for 2025 include local collaborations and racial equity.
Local Collaboration
Round two of the collaboration programmes is now open and closes on Wednesday 30 April 2025. Funding of up to £100k over two years is available for supporting collaborations led by local charities in their influencing work which supports meaningful engagement of people with lived experience. The charity must have an income of less than £1 million.
Themes of the programme are:
- Making the social security system work better for people facing the greatest challenges
- Making sure people facing complex issues have access to suitable accommodation
- Improving support and services for asylum seekers and refugees
Racial Equity Programme
This funding programme is for organisations that are led by and working with people who are experiencing economic inequity because of their race or ethnicity. It is open to charities and community interest companies.
Applications are now open and close on Thursday 29 May 2025.
A webinar about the programme is being organised by the foundation on Thursday 3 April, from 10.30am to 12 noon.
Discussions around this theme included questions about the percentage of lived experience of staff and trustees to qualify for the funding.
With feedback including:
Thanks for taking time to educate us.
Next steps
Several delegates are attending the foundation’s webinar on the local collaboration programme which is being held on 19 March. We look forward to hearing how they progress with their expression of interest, which is due in by Wednesday 30 April 2025.
In the meantime, if your voluntary, community, or social enterprise (VCSE) organisation is operating in Broxtowe borough, make the most of our final fully funded course, Addressing the Barriers to Volunteering, being held on Tuesday 25 March 2025, 10am to 11am. Email Helen directly to register your spot.
Or if your organisation needs any one-to-one support, please get in touch.
Helen can be contacted by email at heleno@nottinghamcvs.co.uk.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund presently funds the Broxtowe project until 31 March 2025, and we await to hear later this month whether the funding will be continued. Keep a lookout on the Broxtowe page for updates.
