National Lottery Charities Board East Midlands

East Midlands News

Exciting changes ahead

A new identity

The National Lottery Charities Board will have a new name and identity from 9 April. We will be called the Community Fund with the strap line Lottery money making a difference to show where our money comes from.

There is a need to change our corporate identity because there is confusion between the Lottery game and us and because our current name sounds bureaucratic and intimidating to many of the groups we are trying to reach. It also suggests incorrectly that we only fund registered charities. Our new identity is part of of wide-ranging work to make us more customer-friendly and approachable to smaller groups.

New main grant programme

To accompany and complement the new identity the Charities Board will be launching a single main grants programme on 9 April 2001 to replace our current grant programmes of Community involvement and Poverty and disadvantage. A single programme will mean less confusion for applicants unsure which criteria to apply under.

With our mission statement as the focus of the new programme we will continue to fund as broad a range of projects as we do now. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate how their project meets our main aim - to help meet the needs of those at greatest disadvantage in society and improve the quality of life in the community.

Clearer presentation will further improve application packs and clearer details of regional priorities and guidance on grant size will be included.

Community involvement and Poverty and disadvantage packs will be available until the end of February. Applicants will be asked to complete and return them within four months, with an overall cut-off date for receipt of applications in June.

Callers to the application line after February will be sent a new form when available on 9 April.

Medium Size Grants

Some of you may also have heard about a new medium size grant programme. A shorter application form will be introduced for groups of any size wanting less than �60,000. The scheme is being tested in Scotland, London and the South West first but will hopefully be made available to other regions during 2001/2002.

More information to follow

We should be making detailed information available at briefings for applicants from March - in plenty of time for the introduction of the new forms on 9th April.

Question and Answer Forum for Development Workers

Have you received a test email from the Charities Board recently? If so, you will know that we are considering setting up an email Question and Answer Forum for Development Workers. Different groups often ask us the same kinds of questions. By establishing a forum we can share the answers. A quarterly update will be provided upon request for those without email access. If you are interested in becoming a forum member but have not received our email please send your details to [email protected].

Forthcoming Events

Viewpoints on Social Exclusion in the East Midlands

In December 2000 the East Midlands Regional Assembly launched its report "Viewpoints on Social Exclusion in the East Midlands". The report provides a snapshot of social exclusion in the region and the foundation upon which to build and develop further action to promote social inclusion.

Five events are being organised across the East Midlands to disseminate the report and its finding. The events will be held:

Friday 2 February 9.30 am at Northampton Chamber

Friday 9 February 9.30 am at the Lawn, Lincoln

Tuesday 20 February, 9.30 am, at the Dice Centre, Nottingham Trent University

Friday 23 February, 9.30 am at the Rail Travel Centre, Derby

Wednesday 28 February, 9.30 am at the Centre for Integrated Living, Leicester

For further information and to book a place please contact the Social Viewpoints Event Organiser, EMRLGA, The Belvior Suite, Council Officers, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE13 0UL.