Aims/priorities: The funding is intended to support community businesses to explore their ideas and learn the processes and skills needed to develop community tech-based solutions which will create impact for their community.
Who can apply? Incorporated community businesses and organisations in England can apply. This includes:
- Registered charities.
- Community interest companies (CIC).
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO).
- Community benefit societies.
- Co-operative societies (if it has a not-for-profit clause and registered with the Financial Conduct Authority).
- Voluntary or community organisations.
- Statutory bodies (including town, parish and community councils).
- Companies limited by guarantee (if it has a not-for-profit clause or is a registered charity).
Community businesses must also be able to demonstrate they are working towards the following criteria:
- Locally rooted - organisations exist to benefit the local neighbourhood, village, town, ward or borough; the local area is at the heart of what the organisations does.
- Accountable to the local community - organisations consult and communicate with local people about what they do.
- Trading for the benefit of the local community - organisations want to increase their income from trading, with profits re-invested to benefit the local community.
- Making a broad community impact - what the organisation does engages different groups of people from the local area.
Applications from community organisations who are tackling marginalisation or supporting under represented and marginalised groups are particularly encouraged and welcome.
Grant amount: The fund will provide the following:
- £10,000 to explore a tech solution to an existing challenge.
- An additional £2,000 to fund open working and engaging with the Community Tech community of practice.
- A free place on a Digital Design Hop: a structured design course to help move efficiently from challenge to solution.
- A network of experts and like-minded peers in a facilitated community of practice.
Application process: The Discovery Fund opens for applications on Thursday 1 June 2023.
The first stage in the application process will be an initial eligibility check completed by Power to Change. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of community and tech experts who will select the final 20.
Deadline: 21 July 2023 (midday).
Contact information: Tel: 020 3857 7270 Email: communitytech@powertochange.org.uk
Website: Discovery Fund - Power to Change