Eastern

(Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk)

This regional information includes regional offices of funding bodies, government and agencies. They all have a role which involves the Voluntary and Community Sector. Some offer direct funding. Some act as a coordinating body for provision of regional and local services. Some merely offer help and advice to those providing services. Not all of these will offer funding at any particular time.

There are regional pages for each England region. Where possible regional information is given on each of these pages. Where regional information is complex links are given to websites which can provide information and contacts relevant to your area.

Help and advice in your region

Local Infrastructure Organisation (LIO)

LIOs (Council for Voluntary Service, Voluntary Action, Community Action) give help and support to the Voluntary and Community Sector in local areas of the UK. Most areas are covered by their services. The level of service each LIO offers varies but they will be able to either help you themselves with local funding advice or direct you to services in your area that can help you.

To contact your local LIO go to the NAVCA website http://www.navca.org.uk/liodir/to find their details. Your local LIO or Council will be able tell you how you can find out about grants from local trusts, your local council and other local sources.

Sources of funding

Below are details of regional funding including Regional Government agencies, Lottery and other National Funder's Regional Offices as well as funders based in the Region.

Rural Community Councils

Rural Community Councils (RCCs) are county based charities working to improve the quality of life of local communities and particularly disadvantaged people in rural England. The Countryside Agency funds each RCC to provide direct support and advice to rural communities and organisations.

The Countryside Agency provides funding to each RCC through an annual service level agreement. With this support, RCCs can offer rural communities:

• sources of local funding and advice on how to put together funding bids, including how to bid for Countryside Agency grant
• programmes such as Vital Villages, Doorstep Greens and the Local Heritage Initiative
• support and advice for village hall committees
• their expertise and practical support to develop community capacity
• help to strengthen parish councils
• share good practice about what other local community successes and activities

Rural Community Councils in the region are:

Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity
The Old School
Cardington
Bedford
MK44 3SX
Tel:01234 838771
Fax:01234 838149
Website: www.bedsrcc.org.uk

Cambridgeshire ACRE
32 Main Street
Littleport
Ely
Cambridgeshire
CB6 1PJ
Tel:01353 860850
Fax:01353 862040

Rural Community Council Of Essex
Mackmurdo House
79 Springfield Road
Chelmsford
Essex
CM2 6JD
Tel:01245 352046
Fax:01245 495427
Website: www.essexrcc.org.uk

The Community Development Agency for Hertfordshire
Birchwood Avenue
Hatfield
Hertfordshire
AL10 OPS
Tel: 01707 695500
Fax: 01707 695525
Website: www.cdaforherts.org.uk

Norfolk Rural Community Council
20 Market Place
Hingham
Norfolk
NR9 4AF
Tel:01953 851408
Fax:01953 850695
Website: www.norfolkrcc.org.uk

Suffolk ACRE
Suffolk House
2 Wharfedale Road
Ipswich
IP1 4JP
Tel:01473 242500
Fax:01473 242530
Website: www.suffolkacre.org.uk

Website: www.countryside.gov.uk/VitalVillages/social_capital/rcc_contacts.asp

Community Foundations

Community Foundations are charitable trusts that support local community causes. Their role is to manage donor funds and build endowment as well as make grants to charities and community groups, linking local donors with local needs. Created by and for local people they help donors express their long-term interest in an area and its needs. Community foundations have been active in the UK since the 1980s and a rapidly growing network of approximately 60 foundations is now established across the country. About 90% of the UK population has access to a community foundation.

To find your local Community Foundation go to the Community Foundations Network Website: www.communityfoundations.org.uk

Community Foundation Network
Arena House
66-68 Pentonville Road
London
N1 9HS
Tel: 020 7713 9326
Fax: 020 7713 9327
Email: network@communityfoundations.org.uk

Government

Local Government

Your Local Authority (Council) will have funds for the Voluntary and Community Sector. This funding is often in small pots within different departments. They may not have a complete picture of what is available and it is best to ask for help within a particular department. Key departments that often have responsibility for funds are Culture & Leisure, Education, Environment, Health & Social Care, Housing, Regeneration.

You can find the Local Authority for you area at Website: www.direct.gov.uk/Dl1/Directories/LocalCouncils/fs/en You will find contact address, phone numbers and links to their Website.

Similarly there are often small pots of funds for the Voluntary and Community Sector held by Town Councils and Parish Councils.

Town Councils

You can also find your town council at Website: www.direct.gov.uk/Dl1/Directories/LocalCouncils/fs/en You will find contact address and phone numbers and links to their Website.

Parish Councils

Parish councils are listed by Tagish at Website: www.tagish.co.uk/tagish/links/parish.htm Some Parish Councils have Websites. They may be listed at: www.parish-council.com/fulllist.asp or search using Google Website: www.google.co.uk Local Authorities often have funding advisors or community workers to help you who will know more about the funding available.

You can also get help to find local government funding from your LIO (see above).

Local Government is buying in more of its services from the Voluntary and Community Sector under contract.

The Local Compact

The Compact is the agreement between government and the voluntary and community sector in England to improve their relationship for mutual advantage. By building better relationships the Compact can help government and the voluntary and community sector work better together for the communities they serve.

Local Compacts are being drawn up for dealings between local and regional government and the voluntary sector.

These can be downloaded from the regional pages of the Compact Website: http://www.thecompact.org.uk/information/100024/regions/

Government Office for the Eastern Region

The Government Office represents Central Government in the region; it also feeds back the region's views to Whitehall.

They aim to work with regional partners and local people to increase the prosperity of the region, promote sustainable development and tackle social exclusion.

They will be able to put you into contact with those agencies which deal with local European funding schemes such as Global Grants and Co-Financing and Government funding such as Community Champions, Community Learning Chests and Neighbourhood Renewal Community Chests. (See also www.governmentfunding.org.uk

Government Office for East of England
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
CB2 2DF
For general enquiries Email: enquiries.go-east@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk

Their website provides links to many other agencies serving the Eastern Region

Part of their work is to co-ordinate funding from the European Community. Contact them at:

European Unit
Government Office for the East of England
Eastbrook
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
CB2 2DF
Tel: 01223 372709
Fax: 01223 372864
Email: EuropeanUnit@goeast.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.go-east.gov.uk

Their website provides links to many other agencies serving the West Midlands

East of England Development Agency (EEDA)

EEDA's remit is wide and the regional economic strategy shapes our activity. The goals, priorities and actions it sets out for the East of England provide the focus for all their work and inform the programmes and initiatives they support.

Main office - Histon
The Business Centre
Station Road
Histon
Cambs
CB4 9LQ

Victory House - Histon
Victory House
Vision Park
Chivers Way
Histon
Cambridge
CB4 9ZR

Thetford office
Breckland House
St Nicholas Street
Thetford
Norfolk
IP24 1BT

Tel: 01223 713900
Website: www.eeda.org.uk

Social, Health, Education, Training and Employment

Connexions

Connexions is the government's support service for all young people aged 13 to 19 in England.

Connexions brings together all the services and support young people need during their teenage years offering differentiated and integrated support to young people through Personal Advisers (PAs). For some young people this may be just for careers advice, for others it may involve more in-depth support to help identify barriers to learning and find solutions brokering access to more specialist support, eg drug abuse, sexual health and homelessness. PAs work in a range of settings including schools, colleges, one-stop shops community centres and on an out-reach basis.

Connexions is delivered through a range of local partnership arrangements based either on Local Authority boundaries or Learning and Skills Council (LSC) boundaries. Funding is through a grant from the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

You can find details of your local partnership at

Website: http://www.connexions-direct.com/index.cfm?go=localServices

SureStart

SureStart is a Government programme which aims to achieve better outcomes for children, parents and communities by:

• increasing the availability of childcare for all children
• improving health and emotional development for young children
• supporting parents as parents and in their aspirations towards employment.

They will achieve our aims by:

• helping services development in disadvantaged areas alongside financial help for parents to afford childcare
• rolling out the principles driving the Sure Start approach to all services for children and parents.

Regional and local services are dealt with by regional Government Offices and Local Education Authorities.

Sure Start Unit
Department for Education and Skills and Department for Work and Pensions
Level 2
Caxton House
Tothill Street
London
SW1H 9NA
Public Enquiry Unit Tel: 0870 0002288
Email: info.surestart@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
Website: www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartservices/

Children's Fund

The Children's Fund was launched in November 2000 as part of the Government's commitment to tackle disadvantage among children and young people. The programme aims to identify at an early stage children and young people at risk of social exclusion, and make sure they receive the help and support they need to achieve their potential.

The Children's Fund provides a responsive approach to developing services that address the difficulties faced by some children and their families. It encourages voluntary organisations, community and faith groups to work in partnership with local statutory agencies, and children, young people and their families, to deliver high-quality preventative services to meet the needs of communities.

To find out about the Children's Fund partnership in your area contact your regional Government Office or Local Authority.

More information is on Website: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/strategy/childrensfund/

Health and Safety Commission

The Health and Safety Commission is responsible for health and safety regulation in Great Britain.

Regional Offices can be found at website: www.hse.gov.uk/contact/maps/index.htm

HSE Infoline Tel: 0845 345 0055
Website: www.hse.gov.uk/

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

The LSC exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. They have a single goal: to improve the skills of England's young people and adults to make sure England has a workforce that is of world-class standards.

The LSC set out a strategy (the Working Together strategy) in 2004 that it intended to adopt with its partners in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). Click here to download the implementation plan for this strategy.

The LSC set out a strategy (the Working Together strategy) in 2004 that it intended to adopt with its partners in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). Click here to download the implementation plan for this strategy.

For more information and links via map for details of local contacts look at their Website: www.lsc.gov.uk/
You can register there to receive local news and information.

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs)

The main function of a PCT is to provide health services locally by integrating primary, secondary and community health services and social services.

PCTs commission general and acute services, invest in primary and community care and work to improve the health of the local population in partnership with local borough councils and others.

Trusts hold contracts with Personal Medial Services, (PMS), providers to provide a wide range of primary and community services to the general public.

To find your local PCT look at website: http://pctdirectory.com/ and for more information use the National Health Service website: http://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/Pages/PrimaryCareTrustListing.aspx

Local Education Authorities (LEAs)

Local Education Authorities oversee education services in Local Authority areas. There is a trend for for services to schools and colleges to become their own responsibility. Funding for these is more often being directed through schools and colleges themselves. If you wish to provide a service related to education you may have to negotiate that with each school or college.

Schools and colleges will be listed on your local authority Website (see above).

You can find details of your LEA at Website: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/_contacts/

Environment and Heritage

English Heritage and other environment and heritage agencies can be found in the national Government and Statutory pages.

Arts

Arts Council of England - Eastern Region

Arts Council England Eastern Region
Eden House
48-49 Bateman Street
Cambridge
CB2 1LR
Tel: 0845 300 6200
Fax: 0870 242 1271
Textphone: 01223 306893
Website: www.arts.org.uk/regions/homepage.php?rid=1

Sport

Sport England in the Eastern Region

Sport England in the Eastern Region is committed to creating opportunities for people in the Eastern Region region to start in sport, stay in sport and succeed in sport.

They are committed to the national vision: making England an active and successful sporting nation.

Sport England provides the strategic lead for sport in England, and is responsible for delivering the Government's sporting objectives.

Sport England in the Eastern Region
Crescent House
19 The Crescent
Bedford MK40 2QP
Tel: 08458 508508
Fax: 01234 359046
Website: www.sportengland.org/east_index.htm

Lottery

Sport England and Arts Council England details are above.

Other Regional Lottery contacts

Big Lottery Fund

The Big Lottery Fund has offices in the nine England Regions, staffed by a team who work with those who have a key interest in making sure our money goes to the people and areas that need it most. Their regional staff offer outreach services to potential grant applicants by organising funding advice events and holding before you apply sessions. Contact the Big Advice Line for further details of events happening in your region Tel: 0845 4 102030 Each regional office has its own enquiries line.

2nd Floor
Elizabeth House
1 High Street
Chesterton
Cambridge
CB4 1YW
Tel: 01223 449000
Minicom: 01223 352041
Fax: 01223 312628
Email: enquiries.ea@biglotteryfund.org.uk
Website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Awards For All (changed arrangements from April 2009)

The BIG Lottery Fund launched its own new version of the highly popular Awards for All small grants scheme in England and Wales from 1st April 2009. BIG's Awards for All programme is the Fund's biggest-ever commitment to a small grant scheme supporting community projects, offering a more easily accessible programme with even quicker decision times

A total of 45 million is available in England offering Big Lottery Fund grants of between 300 to 10,000 to grassroots groups in the community and voluntary sector, health bodies, schools and parish or town councils. In Wales grants of between 500 and 5,000 are available with a total of 2.4 million available.

The programme aims to make a difference to communities and the lives of those most in need and will focus on social and environmental projects that benefit local communities.

The new easy-to-use application form, can be downloaded, filled in and emailed direct to the Big Lottery Fund as well as being available in hard copy.

The Big Lottery Fund's Awards for All programme will build on the features that made the previous scheme so popular. A simpler application process and a maximum turnaround time of six weeks for a decision are among the changes to the programme which will make it much easier for applicants to successfully apply for small pots of funding that can have such a big impact on local communities and lives.

The other Lottery awarding bodies will now operate their own small grants schemes for England and Wales.

Application forms are available from Website: www.awardsforall.org.uk Tel: 0845 4 10 20 30.

Heritage Lottery Fund

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From museums and historic buildings to parks and nature reserves to celebrating traditions, customs and history.

Terrington House
13-15 Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 1NL
Tel: 01223 224870
Website: www.hlf.org.uk/English/InYourArea/EastOfEngland/

Lottery Funding

Lottery Funding is a joint website run by all Lottery funders in the UK. This site allows you to search information on current funding programmes across the UK. The funding search will help you to find the funding programmes that best match your project. It will search programmes offered by Lottery funders that are currently open to applications. The funding search will take you through a series of four questions about: the location of your project; about you as an applicant; about the project itself; and about the amount of money you are applying for.

Tel: 0845 275 0000
Website: www.lotteryfunding.org.uk

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