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.

Appointment of Administrative/Finance Officer

To work at the above Project for 20 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Salary £8 per hour.
This is a three year contract in the first instance.

This post will support the Manager in administrative and financial tasks in a busy community project. SMCP provides lunches, either delivered or eaten on site, for the elderly, frail and disabled in the area. There are also lively Early Years’ provision groups and other community outreach. We are seeking a conscientious, enthusiastic person to join a team dedicated to our clients’ welfare.

Application forms are available from the Chair:
Miss Nina E. Rogers
41, Windsor Ave.
Oldbury B68 8PA

For further information or to arrange an enquiry visit please ring either the Chair on 0121 552 2176 or Mrs Anne Worrall on 0121 420 1653

Closing Date: 12th December 2008
It is anticipated that interviews will take place in mid January 2009

Blackheath Business & Community Association
Jubilee Park Fishing Club
St. Hilda’s Friday Club
Dingley Road Allotments Association
Carelink West Midlands
Warley Gateway Club
Sandwell Irish Community Association
Sandwell Young African Caribbean Achievers
Barnford Road Allotments Association
Hamstead Stroke Club
Spot On
St Paul’s Luncheon Club

We shall be working with some of the successful groups to put together case studies that show the value of work going on in the sector and how Grassroots Grants have made a difference. Examples should appear in future editions of SCVO.INFO newsletter.

This will be particularly important as we tackle the Grassroots Grants Endowment Match Challenge on which we shall now be partnering with Birmingham Foundation, an experienced community foundation. The objective is to attract private sector donors and build an endowment that will ensure small grants into perpetuity.

Our planned Roadshow events took place during September in all six towns of the Borough, attracting an average attendance of 10.

We apologise for a short delay in processing the earliest applications whilst some programme technicalities were satisfied. All has now been resolved, and at the time of going to press, we had received 18 applications, of which 4 were unsuccessful, and others outstanding for further details.

Finally, our Grants Moderation Panel has been assembled to oversee the decisions made, and give advice on developing the programme as it proceeds over the next two and a half years. Its first meeting is scheduled for October.

Two of the Executive members – Poppy Dhatt and Nicola Woodcock - have agreed to become interim representatives for the voluntary sector on particular themes.  Poppy is from SAFSS (Sandwell Asian Family Support Service) and will be covering Children’s Workforce Development.  Nicola is Senior Leader at Open Heaven Church, Wednesbury and will be doing Safeguarding Children.  There is much going on around both those topics, and it is really helpful that Poppy and Nicola will be contributing, working mostly with the public sector.

Updating on the My Space funding opportunity for landmark youth facilities, we understand that Sandwell’s bid will now be deferred until March 2009.

As well as doing the behind-the-scenes essentials, Co-ordinator Martin Allcott been out and about, attending meetings on Children’s Workforce Development, Contact Point, and the launch of Supporting Parents & Families Strategy at The Public.

You may well be aware that SCVO has undergone a recruitment process for the position of Chief Executive Officer following on from the departure of Leoner Gardner earlier this year.

I am pleased to announce that Mark Davis, formerly Strategic Projects Manager at SCVO and Acting CEO for the past couple of months, has been appointed to the position which commenced on the 15th September 2008.  SCVO will continue to move forwards with confidence in reshaping our service and delivering the priorities outlined in our recent Business Plan.

I hope you will join with me and SCVO’s Board in welcoming Mark into this new role, working to strengthen and support relationships between all partners and championing the aspirations and value of Sandwell’s voluntary and community sector. 

Catherine Marshall
Chair, SCVO

Course Title: Essential Fundraising Skills
Date:  Tuesday 30th September 2008

Course Title: Strategic and Business Planning
Date:  Thursday 23rd October 2008

Course Title: Effective Management Committees
Date:  Saturday 22nd November 2008

For more course details and how to book download: SCVO Autumn Training Courses

Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is pleased to announce its new role as local funder for the Grassroots Grants programme in Sandwell.  This paves the way for inward investment exceeding £1m over 3 years.

Grassroots Grants has two parts:

1.      Small grant awards

2.      An Endowment Match Challenge

The Small Grants amount to £0.45m and are for Sandwell based voluntary or community groups that have been active locally for not less than a rolling 12 months – initially prior to 31 December 2007. 

Awards will be from £250 up to a maximum of £5,000 per group and may be a one-off payment, or spread over 3 financial years until March 2011. 

These groups should have a governing document, and an average income of less than £20,000 per annum.

The grants may be spent, for example, on equipment, rent, or project activities. 

To evaluate the awards, there is a requirement to produce full evidence of the expenditure upon completion.

More details, application form and guidance notes at:

www.scvo.info/support-services/grassroots-grant/

The Endowment Match Challenge is being run by SCVO’s partner – The Harborne Parish Lands Charity (HPLC). 

In a groundbreaking programme, donations are being sought from private sector sources on the basis of each £ being matched by Government to invest in the Grassroots Endowment Fund for Sandwell. 

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

SCVO’s Chair, Catherine Marshall said “Grassroots Grants are a most welcome addition to SCVO’s services, as many small voluntary sector organisations find it difficult to access money to support their work.  We look forward to this programme playing a significant part in meeting their needs.  Roadshows will be running in all of Sandwell’s six towns during September”

HPLC’s Lynda Bending comments on the Endowment Challenge “This is a wonderful opportunity for private donors to provide ongoing support to small voluntary organisations throughout Sandwell.”

Cabinet member for safer communities Cllr Derek Rowley, who has responsibility for the volunary sector, said: “This is an excellent scheme to help the voluntary sector and to provide a firm financial footing that will support community based activity for many years to come.”

Now, in order to make Sandwell PCT’s vision a reality, some clear outcomes need to be set focusing on achievements over the next five years.  Sandwell PCT would like to take the opportunity to discuss the long list of priorities with you in order that the right eight priorities are chosen. 

Rob Bacon, would like to invite you to an event at the:

National Metalforming Centre
47 Birmingham Road
West Bromwich
West Midlands
B70 6PY

on 13th August 2008 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

If you would like to attend, please contact Marie Ayres on 0121 612 1502 or e-mail Marie on marie.ayres@sandwell-pct.nhs.uk or return the enclosed booking form in the pre-paid envelope provided.

For more information please open link Invitation letter from PCT.

Also click on link to an Invitation aimed at local people. In August, Agewell are hosting six forums that focus on the PCT strategic plan and these are being opened up to the whole community (not just over 50 and not voluntary sector reps!).  Please promote these important town based events where you can.

Many thanks.

WNF Phase 2 document

WNF Application Form