A £10million fund is being made available to charities and social enterprises to help them develop the skills and infrastructure to win more capital investment and public service contracts. The Investment and Contract Readiness Fund is one of the latest in a number of actions paving the way for charities, social enterprises and other civil society organisations to play a bigger role in public service delivery. The Minister outlined plans in an open letter to the sector. As well as new opportunities to earn income … Read more »
big society
Big Society Awards – deadline approaches
Nominations close on Monday 9 May for the latest round of the Government’s Big Society awards. Read more »
Big Society, Big Cuts – survival strategies for the age of austerity
It’s time to vent your frustrations then look to the future, as we discuss the way forward for the voluntary sector at the first annual assembly of Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum. Read more »
Cornwall to get first wave of Big Society Community Organisers
Cornwall has been chosen as one of ten initial areas for the Government’s Community Organisers programme – one of the cornerstones of the Big Society agenda. Read more »
Who is ready for the Big Society?
Cornwall is one of the country’s best-placed areas to take advantage of Big Society initiatives, according to a new report by Richard Sutcliffe and Richard Holt for Consulting Inplace. Read more »
BIG Fund to administer new £100m Transition Fund
The BIG Lottery Fund will administer the Government’s new £100 million Transition Fund to support vulnerable charities, the Office for Civil Society has announced.
The fund is intended to help charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises that are most at risk from public spending cuts. Read more »
NCVO Chief Executive gets stuck in to the Big Society
National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) Chief Executive Sir Stuart Etherington has given a detailed analysis of the Big Society in a speech at the Cass Business School in London. Read more »
Government unveils civil society strategy documents
A strategy to support charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises was unveiled by Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society. According to a Cabinet Office press release, “it is the first step towards helping civil society organisations grasp new opportunities arising from the massive devolution of power to local communities and reform of public services that underpins the Big Society.”
Free Marks & Spencers voucher for completing Big Society survey
Community Sense is offering a £5 Marks and Spencer voucher to professionals across the country who complete its online survey about the Big Society. Read more »
Extra Big Society seminar in Hayle
Southwest Foundation and Disability Cornwall have joined forces to hold an extra consultation event on the Big Society on Thursday 30 September, in addition to those hosted by GOSW in Bristol and Plymouth.
The event is an opportunity for community activists and representatives of VCS organisations to give their feedback on the Government’s Big Society plans. There will be a particular focus on Community Activists , who the Government wants to train to co-0rdinate Big Society work in local communities. Read more »
