We are honoured that Mr Barry Dodd CBE, the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire will be launching the fund on 30 January 2018 at the Old Swan Hotel.
THE LOCAL FUND for the Harrogate District will provide grant funding to local community groups and charities across the District. It will focus on addressing local need by supporting the work of community groups and charities whose work is dedicated to improving the lives of local people. The Fund is being formed by a three-way partnership between Harrogate Borough Council, HARCVS and Two Ridings Community Foundation, in the face of ongoing pressure on public budgets and over subscription to existing funds.
THE LOCAL FUND will comprise of donations from organisations and individuals, the Harrogate District Lottery and dormant trust funds and will be managed by Two Ridings Community Foundation, an independent North Yorkshire charity which specialises in setting up and managing charitable trusts. As well as funds for ongoing immediate distribution from mid-2018, we hope to build the fund so that by December 2019 we have a significant endowment fund of £2m. As a result the ongoing income will provide a legacy of charitable grant-giving for the long term.
To ensure the Fund is accessible to all eligible local organisations, it will have a clear and transparent application process and the distribution of funds will be overseen by an independent panel.
THE VITAL SIGNS REPORT
Two Ridings Community Foundation’s work in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Pateley Bridge, Masham and surrounding areas has uncovered areas of very acute need in all of these communities, and these findings have been brought together in the THE VITAL SIGNS REPORT for the Harrogate District. This report will be used to drive the priorities for THE LOCAL FUND for the Harrogate District over the next few years.
WHO WILL BENEFIT?
THE LOCAL FUND will be open to all eligible local community groups and charities from across the Harrogate District whose remit is to improve the lives of local people. It will be particularly beneficial to smaller groups and organisations, who do not always have the resources to develop partnerships with local businesses or to continually apply for funds from grant-giving bodies. The fund also seeks to make funding available for causes often ineligible for larger national grants, due to the relative affluence of the Harrogate District. Only 26% of charitable donations in the UK go to local /small charities and 86% of charities have an annual income under £500,000. THE LOCAL FUND aims to redress this imbalance.
More information about the Fund and how to apply is available here
