Nesta have launched an exciting new fund. They are a global innovation foundation who back new ideas to tackle the big challenges of our time, making use of their knowledge, networks, funding and skills. The fund they have launched is the Connected Communities Innovation Fund and it is in partnership with the Office for Civil Society at DCMS.
Eligible projects are invited to submit a short expression of interest (EOI) by midday on the 30 October 2017. There are two sizes of funding awards available, depending on the maturity of the idea. Applicants can apply through the Early Stage Ideas track for between £50-75k or the Growing Great Ideas track for between £100-250k.
It will provide up to £4million in grants, alongside significant non-financial support, to the best innovations that mobilise the time and talents of people across the lifecourse, to create outcomes in England, in any of the following themes:
- Community connections and thriving places: innovations that mobilise the time and talents of people within local communities to share resources, create reciprocal models of support and enable people to help each other in key priorities within their communities.
- Community resilience in emergencies: innovations that mobilise the time and talents of people to enable communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
- Digital Innovation: innovations that harness the opportunities of digital technologies to help mobilise the time and talents of people in new ways that suit 21st century lifestyles and needs.
- Improving our environment: innovations that mobilise the time and talents of people to create better responses to reducing waste and pollution.
See the priority themes to understand more and what they are looking for in these areas, alongside the FAQ’s and Eligibility Criteria. The fund is looking to support projects which advance its charitable objects for public benefit. It is therefore open to public services, charities, social enterprises, or partnerships led by these organisations.
If you have any questions about this fund or want more information, please get in touch via connectedcommunities@nesta.org.uk.