New round of bursaries for small organisations with trading ideas
Howard Lake | 30 August 2006 | News
Voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) with ideas or opportunities for trading goods and services as an independent, sustainable source of income can apply for funding through an initiative run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (NCVO) Sustainable Funding Project (SFP).
Only Connect is a small bursary scheme, sponsored by charity banking specialists Triodos Bank. It enables voluntary and community organisations to visit another organisation with a proven track record in making money from trading.
NCVO is now encouraging more charities and voluntary organisations to join the scheme, and aims to award up to four bursaries in each round (September, December, March and June). The current period for applications closes on 8 September 2006.
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Organisations must themselves identify an organisation they would like to visit, and will be given up to £100 travel expenses. Organisations that agree to host the visits receive a ‘consultation fee’ of £150 for their advice and time.
Kat Smith, of NCVO’s Sustainable Funding Project, said: “It is increasingly important for voluntary and community organisations to explore ways of diversifying their income. Self-financing, through selling goods and services, can be a useful way to supplement grants and donations.
“Only Connect gives VCOs the opportunity to learn about new ways of income generation – in a fun and practical way – from others who have already taken this route to success.”
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.