Looking for funding or business support?
I came across two foundations this week at a London Funders network meeting that could be tapped by music makers working in the community.
The Community First programme still has small pockets of funds for community projects in some of the most deprived areas of the country. To see if your neighbourhood is eligible and has money left in the last round, check out http://cdf.org.uk/neighbourhoodmatchedfund
The Sheila McKechnie Foundation supports individuals, groups and communities to have the skills and confidence to speak up and take effective action on issues that matter to them, by connecting, informing and supporting campaigners. So if you, or somebody you know, is passionate about a cause but lacks the skills to campaign and make their voice heard, try http://www.smk.org.uk.
Another charity that supports non-profit organisations with business management skills rather than hard cash is The Cranfield Trust, http://cranfieldtrust.org/about. They offer free HR advice to any registered charity or other social enterprise with a charitable purpose, HRNet along with a national charity management consultancy service, available to any registered non-profit involved with poverty, disability or social exclusion.
Of course, you can download a list of other funders from the Youth Music network http://network.youthmusic.org.uk/Funding/choose-your-fund. I often start a search with the Institute of Social Change’s Directory of Grant Making Trusts found in any good reference library. They also produce a directory of grants for individuals in need and youth funding. http://www.dsc.org.uk/Publications/Fundraisingsources
All the best with your fundraising endeavors.
Carrie Corfe, grants & learning officer, Youth Music