Community Catalyst awards funds to strengthen community organisations
Forty-six voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations across the country have received a share of £450,000 through Community Catalyst, a housing sector partnership designed to help grassroots organisations become stronger and more sustainable.
The three-year programme is funded and delivered by a consortium comprising Clarion Futures, the Fusion21 Foundation, Places for People, Peabody and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.
Backed by more than £3 million in collective investment, Community Catalyst will support 270 voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations working to improve the lives of social housing residents and their communities.
The programme combines free, tailored consultancy covering areas such as governance, organisational development, business planning, fundraising, financial management, volunteering and evaluation, with the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £10,000.
“Community Catalyst is a powerful example of what can be achieved when organisations come together around a shared commitment to communities, listen to the sector and invest in more than just projects. Through the partnership between Clarion Futures, the Fusion21 Foundation, Places for People, Peabody and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, we're investing more than £3 million over three years, backing the expertise, insight and leadership that already exists within communities. These organisations are trusted by residents, deeply rooted in place and often best positioned to respond to local challenges and opportunities.”
Smaller community organisations play a vital role in many of the neighbourhoods where housing associations operate, often responding directly to challenges including financial hardship, social isolation, unemployment and poor health. However, many grassroots VCSE organisations are facing growing pressures.
Demand for services continues to increase, with organisations supporting people experiencing increasingly complex and interconnected needs, while operating in a highly challenging funding environment. At the same time, access to core and long-term funding remains limited, making it difficult for organisations to invest in the systems, governance, skills and infrastructure needed to sustain and grow their impact, while balancing vital frontline delivery.
Community Catalyst was established to address this gap through a combination of tailored capacity building support and targeted grant funding. Rather than adopting a one size fits all approach, Community Catalyst works alongside organisations to understand their individual circumstances, strengths and ambitions. Where funding is identified as a key enabler of organisational development, grants of up to £10,000 are awarded for capacity-building needs.
The first £450,000 awarded through the programme will support the 46 organisations to invest in their long-term resilience, from improving their governance and financial planning to strengthening fundraising, developing their workforce and covering essential organisational costs to continue delivering vital services for the communities and residents that rely on them.
Mads Do & Mend CIC is among the organisations to secure grant funding through the Community Catalyst Programme. Based in Lewisham, the CIC combines creativity, skills development and sustainability through repair, upcycling and community engagement activities that help reduce waste while tackling social isolation and the impact of the cost of living crisis for residents and the wider community.
Founder and CEO of Mads Do & Mend CIC, Madeline Tanoto, said:
"The Community Catalyst Programme could not have come at a better time, at a pivotal point for both me and Mads Do & Mend CIC. The support helped me build confidence, recognise our strengths and clarify key areas of the business. Being awarded the grant will be instrumental in helping us take the next step, moving into a shared workspace with workshop facilities, enabling us to deliver more workshops, build our networks and become more visibly embedded in the local community."
Investment in a new website and impact measurement framework will also help the organisation increase earned income, as well as demonstrate their social and environmental impact which has been a key ambition, and which they hope will help them to continue to attract new partnerships.
Combined with the specialist consultancy support already received, the grant will help Mads Do & Mend CIC to reach more people, whilst growing their positive impact and strengthening their ability to be more resilient by reducing reliance on grant funding over the long term.
Community Catalyst is now in its second year of delivery, with a new cohort of partners working closely with expert consultants, ahead of applying for grant funding in the Autumn. Further rounds of consultancy support and funding will be delivered over the remainder of the programme.