Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service

CDC met with Children in Need late last year to advise them on their new grant giving programme called ‘Fun and Friendship’. This is a programme specifically working with disabled children aged between 12 - 18 years and awarding grants to projects that give disabled young people opportunities to just do what other young people do and that projects must demonstrate disabled young people’s participation and leadership. The ‘Fun and Friendship’ grant programme has now been launched with a closing date for applications as 31st July 2009. For more information see http://www.bbc.co.uk/pudsey/grants/funandfriendship.shtml

From Neath Port Talbot CBC website:

First time buyers in Neath Port Talbot’s renewal areas can now apply for energy efficiency grants. Sandfields East and Aberavon and the Upper Amman Valley are set to benefit from £50,000 funding from the Welsh Assembly to help first time buyers reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint by installing such things as new central heating boilers and loft and cavity wall insulation. Grants of up to £5000 are available for first time buyers who have purchased homes since 27th June 2007. These must be existing properties not new builds.http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2482&pr_id=3580

From the WEFO website:

Two projects investing over £40 million to help economically inactive people back into the labour market and into learning will receive a £10 million boost, John Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Skills, announced on Monday June 22nd. The funding boost for the Wales Council for Voluntary Action’s (WCVA) Engagement Gateway and North Wales Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) projects will enable the schemes to be rolled out to support people in East Wales. The additional funding is made up of £4m from the European Social Fund and match funded by the Welsh Assembly Government with further funding from other organisations across Wales.  For more information go to: http://www.wefo.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?action=newsdetail&ID=2612

On 25 June 2009 BIG publishes Big thinking - their strategic framework to 2015 and What You Told Us.   Big thinking sets out the principles which will underpin BIG’s approach to funding in the UK in the next six years. It explains what they want to achieve and how they will deliver their Mission & Vision: bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need. All of their future programmes will use the new framework as a starting point and it sets out  ambitions for being an efficient and responsive funder.  “What You Told Us” is an in-depth analysis of the responses to the consultation, drawing on material from the online survey and the regional and national meetings held during the three months of the consultation.  It demonstrates how they came to the conclusions in Big thinking - their strategic framework to 2015 and they see it as a crucial part of the consultation process.  These documents are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/bigthinking

The new GwirVol International Youth Volunteering Grant round has been launched. Applications and guidance can be downloaded from the WCVA website through the link below. The closing date for this grant is Monday 20th July 2009.

http://www.wcva.org.uk/grants/dsp_grant_scheme.cfm?display_sitetextid=64&grantid=45&lang=en

In the Pink Swansea Canal and River Walk is to be held on Sunday 21st June 2009 to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.  Registration can be completed in the Arts Centre Pontardawe, online at www.inthepinkbreastcancer.co.uk or on the day.  The registration fee is £3.85.  For full details contact: 01495 308883, or www.pinkwalks.co.uk

Neath Port Talbot CVS has released a new tender opportunities section of our website which lists new and current tender opportunities that could be just what your organisation is looking for!

Neath Port Talbot Older Persons Small Grants Programme 2009/2010 is a one off grant available to any voluntary or community group which aims to support and promote the health and wellbeing of older people (aged 50 plus) living in Neath Port Talbot.

To be eligible for funding, groups or organisations must:

• Represent, serve or support older people
• Be based within the Neath Port Talbot County Borough
• Have an acceptable constitution
• Be a not for profit group with an annual turnover of less than £5000

Groups can only apply once for the grant and may apply for any amount between £50 and £500. For further information please contact Emma Jones, Neath Port Talbot CVS on 01639 631246 or emmaj@nptcvs.org.uk

Information from WEFO website:
A £22m investment has been announced by Deputy Minister for Regeneration, Leighton Andrews, to develop expand and enhance the unique tourism potential of the South Wales Valleys. The Valleys Regional Park project, which covers the Valleys in South West and South East Wales, has received £9.7m Convergence funding.  The three-year project will capitalise on the unique combination that the environment and cultural heritage of the Valleys offer as a tourism opportunity. It will be led by the Welsh Assembly Government in partnership with a range of local authorities, statutory public bodies and community and voluntary organisations. For more information got to http://www.wefo.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?action=newsdetail&ID=2600

Information from WEFO website:
Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has launched a new Local Investment Fund - designed to support the growth of more than 4,000 new or small enterprises by generating total investment of some £54 million. The Local Authority led fund will provide grants of up to £5,000 meet up to 40 per cent of the cost of capital investments such as buying new equipment or extending business premises.  The Fund, which will have total resources of £23 million drawn by the Welsh Assembly Government from the European Regional Development Fund, is expected to generate total investment of approximately £54 million and help create some 3,000 jobs.  For more information go to http://www.wefo.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?action=newsdetail&ID=2599