'The £100m transition fund will be a lifeline, giving organisations the space they need to take stock and build sustainable plans for the future. It is not a replacement for sustainable, long-term funding'
Minister for civil society, Nick Hurd
Social enterprises have less than two months to apply for grants from the coalition government’s £100m transition fund.
The fund, which aims to help struggling social enterprises and charities step up to the Big Society and deliver public services, opened for applications yesterday and will close on 21 January 2011.
The ‘transition fund’ was announced in the government’s comprehensive spending review in October to help those organisations struggling in the economic downturn, but had the potential to be successful service deliverers.
It was recently announced that it would be managed by the Big Fund, part of the Big Lottery Fund.
Grants of £12,500-£500,000 are available to organisations that already get most of their funding through state sources, like contracts, and with a turnover of between £50,000 and £10m.
Minister for civil society Nick Hurd officially opened the fund at Age Concern in Kingston yesterday with Kingston Council leader Derek Osbourne. He urged local authorities to spare civil society organisations from the cuts.
‘Charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups are the backbone of our communities,’ Hurd said.
‘We know that the very real need to reduce the deficit means they, like the rest of society, will face tough challenges over coming months. The £100m transition fund will be a lifeline, giving organisations the space they need to take stock and build sustainable plans for the future. It is not a replacement for sustainable, long-term funding.’
He added that Kingston Council was a ‘great example’ of a local authority opening up public service opportunities to civil society organsiations and developing sustainable funding solutions.
Osbourne said: ‘During this exceptionally difficult time for local government finance, I welcome the monies being made available to charities and social enterprises affected by public sector cuts. It is vital we keep our voluntary sector alive.’
Applications to the transition fund can be made by visiting www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/transitionfund or calling 0330 303 0110.
...as Susan Boyle might have sung. On SocialEnterpriselive.com this week:
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