Community groups invited to funding workshop

SOCIAL enterprises, charities, community and volunteer groups in Rotherham  seeking financial support for their projects are being encouraged to attend a unique workshop with many of the region's leading public funding bodies. 

The Unidentified Funding Opportunity (UFO) workshop is being held next Wednesday between 9.30 am and 4.00 pm at Voluntary Action Rotherham's base in Coke Hill, Rotherham.

Among the funding organisations in attendance will be The Big Lottery Reaching Communities Team and Awards For All, Charity Bank, South Yorkshire Funding Advice Bureau, Humber Learning Consortium, Coal Fields Regeneration Trust, South Yorkshire Key Fund and South Yorkshire Community Foundation.   

 Representatives will be on hand to discuss individual voluntary and community sector group's needs, identify funding available and advise on applying for grants from the funding agencies themselves. 

VAR's Community business coaches will be available to discuss social enterprise ideas.

Alan Murphy, Social Enterprise Manager at Voluntary Action Rotherham, said: "This is a golden opportunity for anyone interested in social enterprise to engage with funders who manage substantial investment budgets. 

"If you have an idea that would benefit your community this is an unmissable day, especially as public funding is expected to be harder to come by in the near future."