CIH conference Working through... community planning Alison Seabrooke Chief Executive

The Community Development Foundation (CDF) is a charity and a social enterprise passionate about helping communities. We are about people and place. We promote creative joined up thinking to influence change that can make a big difference for people and where they live. We strengthen local voices, help shape communities and change lives. 40+ years’ experience About CDF

Continuing endorsement of community involvement but... New context 5 years on... engagement... empowerment... Big Society.. Tensions state funded vs state independence making decisions on resources use of volunteers big business vs community roots (particularly housing) Context

Practice work – getting real Grassroots groups active in communities, several policy areas some proxy measures for social capital service provision History of engagement

For 39% the Grassroots grant was their first grant from any source Three quarters (74%) of groups had originally formed to meet a need in the local community, and 55% had been set up to target a specific group within the community 89% of funded groups defined themselves as local not-for-profit organisations and/or community groups. Only 25% were registered charities 24 percent of groups had been established for over 35 years, while 23% had formed since 2005 (30,000 recipients over programme) 73% of funded groups had annual turnovers of less than £10,000 Grassroots Grants

Localism bill: rights to bid, buy, challenge … Reform of planning: new spaces and opportunities Targeted funding: Community Organisers stimulating action Community First matching local action in £ philanthropy Shift in funding mechanisms and expectations to collaborate; charge; measure Policy framework

A raft of recent research and briefing papers undertaken and produced by the Third Sector Research Centre. ‘Together for Communities’ a CLG funded project to develop partnerships between housing associations and community anchor organisations. A recent ResPublica report ‘Housing at the Crossroads’ crossroads-progressive-future-housing-associations%E2%80%9D-0 crossroads-progressive-future-housing-associations%E2%80%9D-0 Housing’s a hot policy topic

Making the case for investment Grassroots Grants 2008 – 2009: 3384 volunteers, 1057 as a direct result of the Programme; hours contributed (2009 minimum wage) £3,679,792 (all volunteers) and £780,626 (GG volunteers) Local decision-making Big Local Community First Harnessing action

Need for support... even more so more with less different / difficult funding environment New forms of investment funding opportunities – social investment Competition – internal and external Survival of the fittest... but what about equalities? Key challenges

For communities Paid for delivery – look at your assets Co-operation vs protectionism Consider social investment loans as well as grants CDF looking to broker and build confidence helps scrutinise delivery model; recycles funders’ money Build in light-touch impact / outcome measurement CDF preparing suite of appropriate tools, training, seminars Solutions

For funders local authorities, trusts, foundations, housing bodies Consider social investment loans as well as grants CDF’s experience to broker and build confidence; helps scrutinise delivery model; recycles funders’ money; encourages entrepreneurship; tackles unfair lending CDF cost-effective management and/or administration of grants and loans (and endowment raising) Gather strategic information identify priorities, existing action, gaps CDF preparing suite of appropriate tools

Community planning, local decision-making, new investment forms Big Local Trust; Community First Community planning has to be about a range of things Strategic and operational Virtual and hands-on Identifies broad or single issues Understanding different perspectives Money, time, support – cost effective and long-term Increased involvement

national organisation, delivering locally – community outcome-focused, not sector specific managing accessible grants;experience of working with local funders including development of endowments training for frontline staff on community engagement and empowerment, including implications of Big Society, Localism Bill, social impact, social investment, new forms of local support and funding strategic advice on addressing challenges of developing their roles as enabler, investors, funders, service providers and capacity builders. How can CDF help?

Barry Navarro Contacts