Play Pathfinder Grants

Applications are being sought for the Play Pathfinder Grants, to build or further develop play spaces in East Sussex. This is a tight timescale where it is hoped that all applications will be submitted by the end of February 2009.

Guidance notes have been issued and can now be downloaded in MS Word format from the Hastings Voluntary Action Website.

http://www.hastingsvoluntaryaction.org/play-pathfinder-grants-hastings.doc

East Sussex County Council - Community Partnership Finance

East Sussex County Council have launched their Community Partnership Finance programme. Priority 2 is funding to help meet the cost costs of voluntary and community organisations that are delivering activities and services in at least one of the following ESCC service areas:
Adult Social Care
Children
Young People
Mental Health
Disabilities
Community Transport
Volunteering Support
Substance Misuse
This funding will be open to organisations that work across the entire county or a significant proportion of it. However it will also be open to those who operate in one borough or district, but wish to work collaboratively with an organisation in another geographical area delivering a similar activity or service.

For more information and an application form contact Paul Rideout at ESCC on 01273 482911 or visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/community/funding The deadline for completed applications is 3 February 2009.

The Big Event

Scheduled for December 4th in Eastbourne. A celebration of community and voluntary action, helping to build stronger community organisations in East Sussex. Presentation of ChangeUp annual report, meet the SpeakUp reps, Launch of the new Community Support Portal http://www.askcasper.org.uk/ free networking lunch (bring along anything about your group to share).Workshops : (1)How do groups influence decisions at county level? Find out how SpeakUp links to other local community representation, get your voice heard! (2)What can I find on the CaSPer website and what sort of IT support is available for small groups and organisations? (3)What sort of help and support do groups need? Find out about funding advice, resources, training. Help plan ahead to ensure this is in place for you. Further details : speakup@southdownscvs.org.uk. Or fax back to 01273 483834 or ring 01273 483832
Big Event Flyer Dowloadable as Word Document

Hastings Area Based Grants Programme

Hastings Borough Council have produced detailed specifications of interventions that will be funded by the Area Based Grants, and are seeking expressions of interest from organisations that are capable of delivering these interventions. These include skills training, jobs brokerage and business support. The deadline for expressions of interest is 5pm on Friday 12 December 2008. Programme specifications (1.1 meg) , the expression of interest form and guidance notes can be downloaded from this website.

For further information contact Robert Mee, Regeneration Programme Manger, Hastings Borough Council on 01424 451797 or email Regeneration@hastings.gov.uk

Community Cohesion Consultation

Hastings Borough Council is carrying out a Community Cohesion Survey (until 14th December) and has published its community cohesion planned actions

Training – Finding the Funds

Tuesday 9 December 2008 (9.30am – 12.30pm) OR Wednesday 10 December 2008 (6.30pm – 9.30pm)
Do you want more ideas about how you can get funding for your group, or improve the success rate of your funding applications? Aimed at staff, volunteers or trustees of voluntary and community groups who are relatively new or who have little fundraising experience. Free for HVA members, and there will be a £10 charge for other voluntary and community organisations. More details on Finding the Funds flyer.

Volunteer Co-ordinators’ Programme – Spring 2009

Voluntary and Community Sector Managers and Co-0rdinators can keep up to date with issues such as recruiting, supervising, sustaining, motivating and retaining volunteers by attending Spring training featuring in the training pages of our website.

Events for Black History Month

Black History Month is being marked by University Centre Hastings with two events, one on Wednesday 29th October and one on Monday 20 October. Further details on the HVA Google Calendar

New Items on Fundraising Section of Website

A new external links to East Sussex County Council Funding News and GRANTnet search tool both now feature in the ‘elsewhere on the web column’ on the righthand side of all pages in the Funding section.

Next Meeting of Hastings Local Strategic Partnership Board

Mon, 15 Sep, 10:00 – 13:00
Town Hall, Queens Road, Hastings, TN34 1QR (map)
Observers welcome, entry on request via Information Centre, Queens Square
Papers for the meeting are available at:
http://www.hastings.gov.uk/meetings/default.aspx?showmeetingsmonth=8&showmeetingsyear=8&showdocs=yes&meetingtype=hlsp

East Sussex LINk – Elections to Core Group

The East Sussex LINk will be holding elections in October for the core group. This group will be leading and developing the LINk and those elected will stand for the next year. To finalise the election process a meeting will be held in public on Tuesday 30th September, 10.00-2.30 with lunch, at the Uckfield Civic Centre. Those who wish to take part in the election process or stand for the core group will need to be a registered participant of the LINk. If you wish to attend on the 30th or for a registration form or further information please contact us on 01323 514510, text 07968 119806 or email info@thecountylink.net.

Fuel Poverty Awareness Workshop

Thu, 9 Oct, 10:00 – 12:30 Battle Memorial Hall, 81 High St, Battle, Sussex TN33 0AQ (map)
Opportunity to become aware of the grants and support that is available to assist local residents to make their homes warmer and more energy efficient, and themselves healthier.

Organised by East Sussex Healthy Homes, Rother District Council, Action in Rural Sussex and Hastings & Rother PCT at Battle Memorial Hall, including refreshments. Would appreciate receiving all acceptances by 25 September - Upon response, further information will be sent out. please contact Graeme Quinnell on 01424 787597 graeme.quinnell@rother.gov.uk or Pat Buesnel at Action in Rural Sussex. pat.buesnel@ruralsussex.org.uk

Cultural Voices - Summer 08 edition

Cultural Voices - the publication primarily produced by HVA Black and Minority Ethnic Community Project - has recently printed its Summer 08 edition. You can get a paper copy from the Hastings Voluntary Action office. Details of how to get here are on the following link:
http://www.hastingsvoluntaryaction.org/contact_us/default.html
or you can download a PDF copy from the Hastings BME Project website at
http://www.hastingsbme.org.uk/newsletter/newsletter.htm

Community Partnership Fund Commissioned Grants 2009 - 2011

Hastings Borough Council have identified a list of community projects that they want to fund from April 2009, and are seeking voluntary and not-for-profit community groups to deliver these projects. All documents relevant to this process can now be downloaded from an HBC Commissioned Grants page in the fundraising section of this website.

Guidance on Volunteers Expenses

New Good Practice Guidance on ‘Volunteer Expenses’, has now been added to the ‘Good Practice Guide for Volunteer Involving Organisations’ which is available in the Volunteering Section of the website www.hastingsvoluntaryaction.org

Guidance added to HVA Good Practice Guide for Volunteer Involving Organisations

Problem Solving is the latest theme explored in our Good Practice Guide for Volunteer Involving Organisations. Having a problem solving procedure helps to create consistency, and demonstrates your organisation’s commitment to volunteering good practice. While employees have grievance and disciplinary policies, volunteers are not covered by employment or equal opportunities legislation. In fact, volunteers only have the same legal rights as the general public (eg Health and Safety and Data Protection), so such a policy helps to ensure that volunteers are treated fairly and are not discriminated against. This Guide to Problem Solving Proceedures can now be downloaded as PDF Number 5 from the Good Practice Guide in the Volunteering Section of our website.

Throwing the Baby Out with the Bath Water - the shift from grant aid to commissioning

Jill Ferguson, Deputy Director of HVA gives an overview of the growing trend for funders to move away from grant funding toward an increasingly contractual relationship with the voluntary and community sector (VCS). She argues that this could have a detrimental effect in terms of stifling local voluntary action and increasing uneccessary bureaucracy and urges local funders to support a mixed economy of funding where grants, service contracts and endowments all have their place. This information can be found in Briefing Paper 30 - Throwing the Baby Out with the Bath Water

Community Partnership Fund Commissioned Grants 2009 - 2011

Hastings Borough Council have identified a list of community projects that they want to fund from April 2009, and are seeking voluntary and not-for-profit community groups to deliver these projects. All documents relevant to this process can now be downloaded from an HBC Commissioned Grants page in the fundraising section of this website.