Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations - SCVO. Supporting the Growth of Community Action in Sandwell.

Delivery of the Grassroots Grants Small Grants Programme has continued at a good pace during October and November with new awards to:

Congolese Student Club of Midlands (CSCOM)
Jubilee Rangers Football Club
Friar Park Tenants & Residents Association
Friends of Sandwell Shopmobility
5th West Bromwich Boys Brigade
Hamilton Road Allotments Association
Holy Cross Community Centre
Tipton Operatic & Dramatic Society (TOADS)
Pickwick Pepperpots Archery Club
Smethwick Youth Academy
Bloomfield Over 50’s Club
Woden Road South Allotments Association
Wednesbury Cricket Club
Cameroon Children & Women Project in UK
Parents as Teachers
Tipton Listeners Service

Case Study

5th West Bromwich Boys Brigade

Ian Collett didn’t have much time in planning his trip for the Boys Brigade coach trip to the Old Vicarage Adventure Centre at Stottesdon near Kidderminster. Happily, Grassroots Grants was able to respond in time, and after leaving from the Wesley Methodist Church in West Bromwich early on Saturday 11 October, the whole company of 44 lads had a very full day of outdoor challenges. including orienteering, gladiator jousting, challenge zone and water porter.

Details of the organisation are at www.5thwestbromwich.co.uk

Grassroots Grants Moderation Panel

The inaugural meeting took place during October, and provided some helpful feedback. The Panel has eight members – all with some experience of grant making decisions and community based activity. In order to meet the quick turnaround times stipulated for the programme, day-to-day decisions on grants are made internally by two officers. The Panel then oversees decisions and will sample cases to check on how the SCVO process is working.

Grassroots Endowment Fund for Sandwell

SCVO has now welcomed Birmingham Community Foundation (BCF) as its partner to run the Grassroots Endowment Fund for Sandwell. In this groundbreaking initiative, donations will be sought from private sector with each £ raised being matched equally by Government.
This means that a gift of £5,000 becomes worth £12,800 after adding Gift Aid.

Over a 3 year period, the fund is planned to reach a target approaching £0.6m, thereby providing for frontline community organisations to receive ongoing small grants, generated from the endowment yield.

We are most grateful to BCF for taking on this role after Harborne Parish Lands Charity were precluded due to geographic restrictions. BCF is a specialist organisation with many years of experience in working with the private sector, and we look forward to a successful arrangement.

To find out more about making a donation, contact BCF on 0121 322 5560.