Community360 is celebrating after taking delivery of a new community minibus. They have been helped to continue to operate a safe and responsive community transport service thanks to extra funding from the Essex County Council Covid Response
Fund.
Essex County Council has received funding from the Department of Health and Social Care to support the increased demand on voluntary and community sector services during the pandemic. £44,000 has been awarded to Community360 to fund
a new minibus as well as to help develop its valuable transport service to the community.
Tracy Rudling, CEO at Community360 said: “This vital funding support will enable us to continue to offer enhanced Community Transport services for our beneficiaries. So many people in our community struggle to get to places through lack of
accessible transport, this new minibus will have a huge impact on what we can offer
and will greatly enhance our ability to provide services for those disadvantaged in our area.” She added: “Voluntary and Community Services really stepped up during the pandemic to provide support to communities. We helped people to stay connected and provided first line, self-organised community support to those in need.
We also provided transport to Clinically Extremely Vulnerable people to vaccination appointments in Colchester and Maldon. Moving forward we want to continue and improve our transport offering and this crucial funding will really help us to do that.”
“We are very pleased to have been able to support Commuity360 with funding for a replacement van and other necessary equipment.” Said, Cllr McKinlay, Deputy Leader of ECC and Cabinet Member for Community, Equality, Partnership and
Performance. She added: “They have done a fantastic job, which has included providing transport to those who are particularly vulnerable and need to be more isolated when travelling. We are very grateful to the staff and volunteers for the valuable service
they provide.”
As well as offering help with shopping trips and medical appointments, their social excursions for Community Transport members will also now recommence to encourage people to re-engage socially, helping to combat loneliness. With more minibuses on the road, to help with social distancing, staff and volunteer drivers have also been issued with recognisable uniforms to increase passenger assurance and to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. C360 have also launched a new recruitment campaign and looking for volunteer transport drivers.
“Unfortunately, many of our drivers stepped down during the pandemic for various reasons, and some have returned to work from being furloughed.” Said Tracy. “Our volunteers play such an important role in being able to offer this service. Therefore, if you are considering volunteering or have some spare time, please come forward. It will be rewarding, fulfilling and give you a real sense of purpose.”
For more information on volunteering contact: https://www.community360.org.uk/services/volunteering/
Charities and councils have long worked together to provide local communities with the services they need to flourish. When communities were facing the worst of the pandemic, local organisations were able to mobilise to achieve better outcomes for the people who needed the most help. As the recovery process continues, it will be of paramount importance for the charity sector and local authorities to realise the true potential of working together to deliver public services such as health, social care and education.
A new fund for organisations at imminent risk of failure to support them until the end of the year, particular those who have not received Culture Recovery funding previously.
Who can apply: Organisations who were financially sustainable before Covid-19 but are now at imminent risk of failure and have exhausted all other options for increasing their resilience.
What you can apply for: Between £25,000 and £3 million (£1 million for for-profit organisations)
Key dates: Applications are subject to permission to apply being granted. Permission to apply requests will be accepted from 8 July 2021.
Application Open Date: 12pm (midday), 12 July 2021.
The latest we can accept a permission to apply request is 12pm (midday) on 30 Septemeber 2021.
Application Deadline: 12pm (midday), 14 October 2021.
In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)1 set out the impact of global temperature rise of 1.5°C from pre-industrial levels.
The report warns of increasingly extreme weather events with rising sea levels and melting glaciers; wildlife becoming threatened and at risk of extinction and our own health deteriorating; food becoming scarce and clean water running dry; tensions rising between people and increasing migration and environmental refugees as people flee inhospitable parts of the Earth.
(In order to complete this survey you must be 18+ and a parent/carer living within Essex).
Essex County Council is looking at how to improve support for working families who are just about managing and are feeling the pressures of juggling work and home life on a limited budget.
We know the pandemic has impacted on household finances for some, and we have already done research with families in Essex to better understand their experiences. We are now developing several ideas and initiatives which we think could be useful for working families.
One of these ideas is to help families save money on household costs. Household costs includes things like utility bills, TV/broadband, food shopping, clothing, travel and other costs related to the home and family.
Find out what digital transformation means for the UK’s charity sector with the Digital Futures free eBook. We spoke to several organisations and industry experts to hear their stories of ‘going digital’ and why the coronavirus pandemic has been a catalyst for adapting and embracing change.
Contributors include:
Charity Digital Skills Report 2021, Zoe Amar
How to get transformation right, SCVO
How to manage a team remotely, Cats Protection
Queen’s University Belfast’s digital transformation story
Building stronger, more resilient communities across the UK: that’s what we’re striving towards at Aviva, and it’s how we want to continue to help small charities and community causes.
We’ve learnt the causes that make the biggest impact are those that are given the opportunity to test innovative ideas and explore new sustainable strategies without fear of risk. That’s why the Aviva Community Fund backs the clever ideas that move communities forward and provides even more causes with vital support and resources.
Grants are available to support schools and registered charities that wish to undertake educational work with children and young people under the age of 25 in disadvantaged areas within the UK and international projects working with marginalised communities.
The British & Foreign Schools Society (BFSS) normally makes grants totalling about £900,000 in any one year.
For UK projects the focus is on projects to improve the educational outcomes and life chances of Young Carers and Children Looked After. Grants of between 30,000 and £100,000 are available (maximum £30,000 per year for multi year projects).
For UK projects, the funding is available to UK registered charities with an annual income of between £5,000 and £2.5 million, and at least three years of continuous accounts. UK based and state-funded schools, academies, colleges and other educational establishments regardless of their income size are also eligible providing they can demonstrate a network effect beyond one individual school.
For international projects the focus will be on improving the quality, sustainability, and access to education for young people within international marginalised and deprived communities. Grants o between £5,000 and £60,000 are available. (maximum £30,000 per year).
For international projects the BFSS funds small to medium sized organisations with an annual income of between £5,000 and £2.5 million. Organisations must have UK charitable status. We do not fund non-UK based organisations, Community Interest Companies (CICs) or individuals.
The Society also offers a small number of specific grants for organisations and individuals through its Subsidiary Trusts.
There is a two stage application process and the next closing date for stage 1 applications is the 24th January 2021.
Working closely with colleagues in the trusts and foundations team to develop fundable and fully costed proposals.
Identifying appropriate funding and development opportunities through extensive desk research and networking with funders and other relevant organisations.
Researching and identifying appropriate funders whose criteria match organisational development goals
Develop and maintain relationships with existing and prospective funders, especially those with the potential to give significant multi-year grants.
Develop cases for support for existing and new services.
Planning ahead to ensure applications and bids are submitted in advance of any deadlines whilst maintaining some flexibility to respond to unexpected opportunities
Preparing cases for support and submitting compelling written bids and complex grant applications as appropriate
Maintaining accurate and accessible records and producing regular reports
Ensure that conditions and criteria of grants are tracked against outcomes, and that funders are provided with regular updates that meet or exceed their requirements maintaining oversight and delivery through an online database.
Work closely with colleagues in the fundraising team to complement and develop a team ethos, share in success together and drive forward individual and team success
Planning & Organising
Take responsibility for the delivery of the trusts and foundation income stream across assigned areas of focus.
Support the Operations Managers and CEO with the delivery of fundraising objectives working closely in partnership.
Listen to the needs of the Operations Managers to fully understand what is being achieved and is to be developed so you can create a compelling narrative.
Identify and maintain a pipeline of prospective funders in HubSpot.
Develop the funding pipeline for a consistently strong income delivery.
Financial Responsibilities and Budget Management
Work with the Operations Managers and CEO to adjust financial plans when required to meet fundraising budgets or new funding requirements.
Work with the finance officer to ensure the operational functions that support fundraising activities are lean, efficient and robust.
Any other reasonable duties as required.
Your Qualities
To succeed in this role, you will have trusts and foundations fundraising experience, ideally including multi-year grants. You will be responsible for developing the existing pipeline and taking accountability for this from the CEO and Operations Managers.
Skills and Attributes
Excellent communication skills, written and verbal. Ability to effectively manage relationships with people at all levels.
Excellent research skills, using a range of sources to identify and prioritise potential funders.
Ability to work as part of a team but also use initiative when required.
Ability to understand and empathise with our cause and to translate this passionately within the grants written and subsequent funder follow-ups.
Attention to detail and a ‘can do’ attitude.
Ability to plan and deliver multiple concurrent bids to delivery deadlines.
Calm and professional attitude, naturally empathetic.
Knowledge and Experience
Significant experience of cultivating and securing five- and six-figure grants from trusts and foundations.
Proven ability to develop and maintain a robust pipeline of prospects.
Proven experience of writing compelling cases for support.
Experience of delivering annual budgets, achieving fundraising targets and KPIs within a trusts and foundations context.
Experience of using a CRM system (HubSpot & Salesforce preferred).
Experience of other fundraising activities (corporate fundraising, employee engagement, community fundraising, challenge events) is desirable.
Knowledge of the sector is desirable.
Key relationships
Potential trust and foundation funders
CEO
Operations Managers
Finance Officer
Salesforce Developer
This is a permanent role for 37.5 hours a week Monday – Friday 9am-5pm.
We aim to be an equal opportunities employer and we are determined to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, age, disability, religion, belief, sexual orientation, marital status, or race, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
To join a high-performing team in a charity with a great current and future growth plan apply today.