Social Action Fund – second round opens

A fund supporting the creation of new social action opportunities opened its second applications window on 9th January. Worth over £20 million, the Social Action Fund, managed by the Social Investment Business on behalf of the Office for Civil Society, is offering grants of £100,000 and upwards to projects across England that will expand volunteering and the giving of time, money, knowledge and assets.
Successful applications will address the following themes:
• Local focus: this theme focuses on scaling-up models that encourage people to come together in their locality to support each other. This could be through reciprocal help, or time-banking for example. The aim is to scale these models to regional or national levels, or to replicate them in other localities. Activity could enable co-production of public services, but must deliver a clear public benefit which complements (rather than replaces or duplicates) local public services. Priority will be given to models that encourage those who do not traditionally become involved as volunteers.
• Life stages of giving: this theme focuses on increasing social action within a specific group of people. Applications are sought for proposals which focus on increasing social action opportunities. Programmes that target school children and university graduates, professionals and newly retired professionals, and young people having completed National Citizen Service will be favoured.
Grants will be awarded primarily to fund revenue costs.
Properly constituted civil society organisations, public sector bodies and businesses with a social mission in England are eligible to apply. Organisations must have operated for more than two years and have a minimum turnover of £100,000.
The deadline for applications is 3rd February 2012.

Detailed eligibility criteria and application form and guidelines are available online via the link below.