Community Development - Investments & Grants

Community Development Investment Budget

Commissioning Community Advice Services

Bristol City Council's Needs Analysis for Community Advice Services has now been finalised and the findings from this can be found in the Draft Commissioning Plan. Essentially, the city council has settled on a preferred model but is seeking to consult service users and stakeholders on the key findings of the Needs Analysis that will allow us to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of advice services for the people of Bristol.

BCC currently grant funds to seven advice providers from the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) a total of £675,000 a year in 2009-10 and intends to maintain this level of investment in the commissioning process for 2010-13 and that any efficiencies realised through the commissioning process are re-invested in the service.

Key Dates:

Consultation - November 30th 2009 - February 22nd 2010

Commencement of newly commissioned services - September 1st 2010

We have posted the following documents on this page relating to the process:

Bristol Community Advice Services Draft Commissioning Plan Exec summary

Bristol Community Advice Services Draft Commissioning Plan

Bristol Community Advice Services Consultation Dates

Bristol Community Advice Services Consultation Timetable

Bristol Community Advice Services Consultation Form

Bristol Community Advice Services Commissioning Timeline

Bristol Community Advice Services EqIA Screening

The Bristol Community Advice Services Needs Analysis 2009 document is too large to be uploaded onto these pages, but can be sent via e-mail upon request to investmentandgrants@bristol.gov.uk  

Focus of the consultation

We are asking people:

1. Do you agree with the key findings of the Needs Analysis, have we missed anything?
2. BCC has determined that access to advice services is provided in a number of ways - face-to-face, by phone, by computer etc. In what way could we improve services to make them more accessible for you or your community?
3. From your experiences of using advice services or signposting clients to them can you suggest any way in which we can improve advice services in the city?

Do you have any other comments on any other aspects of the Needs Analysis and the Draft Commissioning Plan?

If you have any questions or if you would like to book a place on one of the consultation events (please let us know if you have access needs) or if you would like paper copies of any of the documents, please contact: The Investment and Grants Team at: investmentandgrants@bristol.gov.uk Tel: (0117) 9036437 or 9036439

Voluntary Sector Investment Strategy 2008-2011

The 2008 to 2011 Investment Strategy for Community Development was agreed by B.C.C. Cabinet on 9 November 2007.

The Strategy sets out Community Development's priorities in allocating funding to the voluntary and community sector. The over-arching priority of the Strategy is to support the delivery of "balanced and sustainable communitites with a high quality of life where no one is disadvantaged".

The Community Development Investment Budget is £2.5 million for 2009/10 and is allocated to local voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations that contribute to the objectives laid out in The Investment Strategy.

Community Development Investment Grant

Last year we responded to the changes required by the Bristol Compact and have moved from one-year to three-year funding for our grant-funded organisations from April 2009. This means that there will be no Investment Grant application process this year. We are also reviewing how we fund advice services in Bristol and will be commissioning advice services from 2010.

Bristol City Council Development Fund

Applications to our Development Fund, for a maximum grant of £5,000, can be made throughout the year to Quartet, who administer the grant on our behalf. We also welcome applications from Bristol Community Centres wishing to apply for funding for assessment costs for the VISIBILE Communities Standard.

Information about the Development Fund and application forms are available online through Quartet's website http://www.quartetcf.org.uk

Supporting Local VCS Organisations

We fund several organisations to provide support to the VCS sector in Bristol. These organisations offer training, support, advice, fundraising information and networks to VCS organisations.

The support organisations we fund are:

VOSCUR http://www.voscur.org/

Black Development Agency http://www.blackdeva.org.uk

Bristol Community Accountancy Project http://www.bcap.info

Volunteering Bristol http://www.bristolvolunteers.org.uk

Avon & Bristol Law Centre (for legal advice about legal structures, constitutions and charity lawy) http://www.avonandbristollawcentre.org.uk/community_groups.html

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