# £20,000 grants available for community groups to develop business ideas

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/04/18/20000-grants-available-community-groups-develop-business-ideas/
- Published: 2017-04-18T09:42:08+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The second funding round for the Community Business Bright Ideas Fund opens tomorrow(
19^(th) April), offering grants of up to £20,000 to help community groups to get
their business ideas up and running.**

 

The two-year programme aims to invest around £1.85m in community businesses over
two years, supporting around 80 community groups working in England by providing
up to 15 days of tailored support along with the grants to develop their business
ideas. The [Community Business Bright Ideas](http://www.thepowertochange.org.uk/funding/grants/community-business-bright-ideas/)
programme is jointly funded by [Power to Change](http://www.powertochange.org.uk/)
and the Department for Communities and Local Government, and will be delivered by
a consortium including [Co-operatives UK](https://www.uk.coop/), [Plunkett Foundation](https://www.plunkett.co.uk/)
and [Groundwork UK](https://www.groundwork.org.uk/), led by [Locality](https://fundraising.co.uk/2017/04/18/20000-grants-available-community-groups-develop-business-ideas/locality.org.uk).

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Community groups have until 31^(st) May to apply for this round of funding, with
additional funding rounds to follow in September this year, and February 2018.

 

The money can be spent on costs to help a business become established, including
legal and registration fees, training, knowledge and skills exchanges, and can also
be used on activities including community engagement, and market research.

 

More information on the criteria for applications, as well as how to apply can be
found on the [My Community website](http://mycommunity.org.uk/help-centre/faqs/bright-ideas-fund/).

 

Forty-nine groups received funding in the programme’s first round, sharing £695,000
in grants, and an additional £234,000 in business development help. These included
Harlesden Letts, which aims to bring more affordable rents to the Harlesden area
of London, The Playground, which wants to bring youth facilities back to a deprived
seaside town, and Inside Workout, which wants to provide a community gym to help
address gang activity in Manchester.

 

Sara Buchanan, programme manager and lead on the Bright Ideas Fund at Power to Change,
said:

 

> “It is a real delight to fund so many brilliant ideas. We know that getting a 
> good idea off the ground is tough for any community, but with a bit of help they
> can become a reality and start making a difference for local people. We can’t 
> wait to see the applications come in for the next round.”

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