People’s Health Trust has just launched Active Communities in Northumberland and Cumbria – a funding programme for local people wanting to create fairer places to grow, live, work and age. Using money raised by HealthAble through The Health Lottery, People’s Health Trust is looking to invest in projects that support people living in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods of Northumberland and Cumbria.

Active Communities is a funding programme for not-for-profit groups with an income of less than £350,000a year, seeking investment of between £5,000 and £25,000 a year, for projects lasting up to two years. The projects should take place within a small area for a small group of people, such as 20 or 30 streets or a couple of villages.

John Hume, Chief Executive, People’s Health Trust, says: “We’re looking to support ideas designed and run by local people which help create even stronger links and ties within communities. Whether it’s a tenants and residents’ mediation group or a computer skills group for older people, we’re interested to hear about it.”

“Applying couldn’t be easier – it’s about local people telling us what would make their local community an even better place grow, live, work and age. It’s an online process with a step by step guide from start to finish.” The closing date for applications is midday on Monday 15 July 2013.

Please note this programme is managed by the Cumbria Community Foundation.

To find out more and to apply to  Active Communities, visit www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk

Private investment in the survey is broken down into three elements;  business investment, Individual giving and grants  from Trusts and Foundations. The decline in the North East was largely due to a substantial drop in business investment. Individual giving was up and Trust and Foundation Income dropped but not dramatically.

The report makes much of a growing gap between London and the regions. This has always been true and whilst it may well be getting worse we must remember that this data is for the financial year 2011-12. If you bear that in mind and look at the wider economic data then London probably should be doing better as it came out of recession sooner.

On a positive note, our percentage of the country-wide individual giving pot (0.9%) is on a par with the East of England (1%) and only slightly lower than Yorkshire (1.3%) both of which have double the population of the North East. Also, even with a substantial drop in business income our business sector still punches above its weight coming in ahead of the East and not far behind the Midlands, South West and Yorkshire and Humber.

That not to try and spin a rosy glow but to give some perspective. Times are hard but there are some glimmers of light there. The question now is should we focus more on individuals if that’s going up? Are businesses coming back to the market and worth pursuing? Trusts and Foundations are aware they need to do more out of London so they should be a target as well? Here at the Community Foundation we’re trying to help all three. We have set up the North East Fund for the Arts to encourage arts philanthropy. The Sponsors Club project has long advocated for business support of the arts and continues to do so. Finally through our work with a number of London based trusts and foundations we are already helping them grow their grant making in the region.

It won’t be a quick journey but we need to make the case for the benefit of the arts and the benefits it has on the region. Our recent Vital signs report said the arts were relatively healthy but warned that things could potentially get worse. That warning still holds and the survey emphasises that.

What will be interesting will be the Private Investment in Culture reports for the years 2012-13 and beyond when Catalyst and other programmes to encourage giving have been up and running.

Adam Lopardo  – Head of Culture Partnerships

On Wednesday 8 May we launched our first report on Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs. Its purpose is to kick start a discussion about how community philanthropy can help civil society organisations and others to improve local quality of life. Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs is the first such report to be produced in the UK.

You can contribute today and help to shape the next Tyne & Wear Vital Signs by visiting the website here. Whether you think we’ve got it right or not, have other issues to add, or want to share an idea about how a problem can be tackled, we will feed your contributions into the work we do in response to the report.

If you would like more information or you think you could help us distribute hard copies of the report click here to email the Vital Signs team.

The Tiny Lives Trust supports premature and sick newborn babies, their mothers and families in the Special Care Baby Unit of the Newcastle Neonatal Service based in Ward 35 of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. Having previously operated using the Community Foundation charity number it has now branched out and registered as its own independent charity.

Tiny Lives Trust continues to fundraise for the same cause but now has its own office, a new phone number and has launched a new website. If you would like to get in touch with the team you can do so in the following ways:

Phone: 0191 230 2112
Email: info@tinylives.org.uk
Web: www.tinylives.org.uk
Address: Tiny Lives, 9^th Floor Cale Cross, 156 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6SU.

Everyone at the Community Foundation would like to wish the Tiny Lives team the best of luck as a newly registered charity and we know it will go from strength to strength.

We currently have funds that are looking for applications from voluntary and community groups for projects in Tynedale, Northumberland.

The Community Foundation manages a number of funds that are interested in supporting community activities in the area and will present applications to the most appropriate fund.

In particular groups are encouraged to apply that meet one or more of the following criteria:

• The group has an annual income under £50,000.
• Funding is sought for projects that aim to improve the health or wellbeing of disadvantaged young people, the disabled or the elderly, particularly through sports and fitness activities.
• Funding is sought for projects that provide activities and support for young people.
• Projects that support the local community of Corbridge and it’s surrounding area.
• Groups needing support for activities or equipment for activities in Haydon Bridge that help to bring the community together.

This list is not exclusive and applications from local community and voluntary groups for small grants are always welcomed. To apply online click here.

Northern Creative Solutions is developing Broadacre House, a six storey building on Market Street in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. The intention is to work towards a 2-3 year lease which would commence in September 2013 with the aim of provide affordable city centre space for charities, social action organisations, artists and creative organisations to work together under one roof.

To help assess the viability of such activity from 29 May to 21 June, two large rooms in Broadacre House will be available for bookings free of charge. These spaces will be available from 12:00 – 17:00, Wednesday to Saturday. NCS is offering these spaces free of charge to encourage groups to try out the space and assess its suitability. There is one room on the Ground Floor, and another on Floor 4. Both are roughly 75 square metres and have moving partitions to allow the rooms to be divided in two. If you are interested in booking either of these spaces or want more details, please click here to contact them via e-mail.

During the period they will also be running tours and talks to develop their plans alongside the requirements of the third sector. You can find more information about northern Creative Solutions and Broadacre house here.

On Wednesday 8 May we launch our first report on Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs.

Vital Signs is a worldwide initiative started in Canada. Its purpose is to kick start a discussion about how community philanthropy can help civil society organisations and others to improve local quality of life. Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs is the first such report to be produced in the UK.

Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs is based on detailed research that you can find on our Vital Signs webpages. It includes a system of grades from A to E to indicate how we are doing relative to the rest of the UK in areas like work, healthy living and learning, with ideas for action that philanthropists can take to address problems.

Rob Williamson, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation, said:

“Tyne & Wear is full of great people and places. But it also has many challenges, so it’s important that generous donors know how best to target their giving so it has the best effect. That’s where Vital Signs comes in. But it isn’t ‘the last word’ on how we can work together to make Tyne & Wear better. It’s the start of a conversation, where people can share and debate their views and experiences to help us complete the picture.”

You can contribute today by visiting the Vital Signs website here. Whether you think we’ve got it right or not, have other issues to add, or want to share an idea about how a problem can be tackled, we will feed your contributions into the work we do in response to the report.

We hope you will find Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs interesting and thought-provoking. Please read it, pass it on and, above all, have your say.

Many of you will receive a copy of Tyne & Wear’s Vital Signs by post within the next few days, but if not we can add you to our mailing list by emailing us here. The report can also be viewed online here.

In October 2013 we will be launching Northumberland’s Vital Signs as part of the national launch of the UK Community Foundations’ Vital Signs UK initiative. For more information on Vital Signs in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland email Mark Pierce, Head of Policy, Projects and Programmes at the Community Foundation.

West Park Veterans was awarded a grant of £800 from Comic relief Community Cash

55 community and voluntary groups in Tyne & wear and Northumberland have benefitted from small grants thanks to Comic Relief Community Cash.

Organisations including drop-in centres, brownies, theatre groups and sports clubs benefitted from the grants which ranged from £500 to £1,000. The Martha and Mary Association, a drop-in centre and cafe in Heaton, Newcastle, was just one organisation that received a grant of £1,000. Trustee Davina Outhwaite said:

“The money meant a tremendous amount because it will help keep us going, it is hard times we are in and money is less and less available. The need from the community is growing because people are feeling the pressure, it’s nice for them to come and have a chat and a cup of tea here.”

For more information about the work of Comic Relief in the UK click here.

Sangini was awarded a grant from the Kellett Fund to work with older women in Sunderland

The Kellett Fund, established in 1996 following a £5m legacy from Mr Douglas Kellett, supports projects that improve the welfare of active older people.  Funding is now available to community and voluntary sector agencies active in in Tyne & Wear, Northumberland and Chester-Le-Street.

The Kellett Fund will prioritise projects that provide inclusive leisure and learning activities for older people and/or support their active participation in all aspects of community affairs. We will seek to support a balanced range of projects across both priorities, and are particularly interested in those that deliver against both through offering older people opportunities to benefit from, and contribute to, service provision.  Grants of up to £30,000 a year over three years will be available.

We are open for applications from 26 April 2013.  The closing date is 12 noon on 14 June 2013. Funded projects must be ready to start in September 2013.

To find out full details of the fund and to apply online click here. For further information, or to discuss your application, contact Mark Pierce, Head of Policy Projects and Programmes on 0191 222 0945.

Following the current round, the work of the fund will be reviewed prior to a call for applications being made for Kellett Fund in 2015-2016.

The review outlines a range of measures designed to kick start export-led growth, and raise the global profile of the North East as a place to do business.

Copies of the review are available here.

Our Head of Policy, Projects and Programmes Mark Pierce, has written a blog on the report which you can read here.