Communities and Local Government is inviting applications to the £7.5m Empowerment Fund, which will run from 2009-12. The Fund was announced in the 'Communities in Control' white paper and will provide three-year grants for community empowerment organisations operating across England. Closing date is 6th January 2009. http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1005709

The Empowerment Fund is not designed to support local organisations directly. While recognising that local or regional organisations play an important role in empowering communities they are not the focus of this fund.

If your organisation is not eligible to apply, there are other sources of funding available at www.governmentfunding.org
The Office of the Third Sector has funded Grassroots Grants which is a £130m programme that aims to invest in a thriving community sector. The fund is delivered by the Community Development Foundation (CDF) and a list of local funders is
available from their website: www.cdf.org.uk

The next funding round of Children in Need is now open. It is open to projects delivered by organisations working with disadvantaged children and young people, who must be 18 years and under, living in the UK.Disadvantages experienced by children and young people include:illness, distress, abuse or neglect;any kind of disability;behavioural or psychological difficulties; iving in poverty or situations of deprivation.
The application should focus on the children your project will work with and the differences that your project will make for them. You should clearly be able to demonstrate how your project will change the lives of the children involved for the better.
Closing date: 15 January 2009

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants/apply.shtml

Capacitybuilders have recently reviewed their existing support for the third sector, particularly grant holders, and working relationships with public sector and funding agencies, and there are new support arrangements for our region.

Futurebuilders England is hosting a series of regional roadshows for third sector infrastructure organisations across England this autumn.

The events are aimed at helping funding advice workers and other third sector advisors to give guidance on how to make a successful bid for investment.

The free events take place at 11 locations across England and are open to CVSs, infrastructure bodies and local authority third sector advisors who want to advise local third sector organisations on how best to benefit from the Futurebuilders investment fund.

The regional roadshows will consist of presentations from Futurebuilders staff on new funds available to the third sector and recent changes to the application process. Funding advice workers will also have the chance to invite potential applicants who meet the Futurebuilders criteria and could benefit from individual advice on how to best prepare an organisation for investment.

The first roadshow takes place in Cambridge on Friday 3rd October, with the final event being held in London on 28th November.

The parliamentary abolition of the slave trade in British ships in March 1807 is an important anniversary. Not only was it a historic legal decision for Britain and the British Empire but it also marked the beginning of a public movement for social change leading to universal suffrage and the foundations of our modern welfare state and society.

Peoples across the world are still suffering injustice and loss of liberty.

As such the National Lottery through the Awards for All programme and its joint partners – Big Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Sport England would all like to support projects related to the anniversary and contemporary issues throughout the whole of the anniversary year until March 2008.

Awards for All could potentially support groups and organisations to deliver projects celebrating the Bicentenary and the issues it relate to in your community. Grants are available of between £300 and £10,000.

For more information visit: