Equity free grant + expert consultancy
Capacity Building Programme
Grow with Create Equity’s £1 million Capacity Building Programme
The second iteration of Create Equity’s Capacity Building Programme, delivered with MeWe360 offers a Capacity Building Grant of £2,000 and over 25 days of support from expert subject matter consultants.
designed to accelerate the growth of Black and Brown-led organisations
Company Status
Social enterprise or charitable organisation
Sectors
Education, social justice, arts, creative, digital and media industries
Location of main beneficiaries
Greater London
Team
Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority (BAME) led. (51% or above of the board and senior management team)
Offer
Unrestricted grant up to £2k
Over 25 days support from expert subject matter consultants
Minimum turnover
£100k
Latest date of incorporation
31 March 2021
Expression of Interest deadline
Sunday 28th Jan, 2024
Do you want support to increase your funding?
Do you want to develop your financial or business plans?
Do you want to start a new project to increase or diversify your income?
We offer trusted and infrastructure support from our network of experienced expert consultants.
We will help your organisation build operational rigour around Finance, Operations, Business Development and more.
Create Equity’s Project Service Office, allows you to make the most of opportunities and to receive the support you might not otherwise be able to afford or prioritise allowing you to retain the *specialised skills as and when you need them. Our consultants have real commercial experience, use clear language and frameworks that are understood and implementable by people at every level in the organisation.
*specialised skills include practitioners in Strategy, Marketing, Finance, HR and Administration, Legal & Governance, Technology, Business Development and Operations.
Black and Brown-led organisations are often under-resourced in comparison to those of their white counterparts. This can leave them struggling to fill short term skill set gaps and positions as they grow and expand. We work with a range of consultants to support, share knowledge and expertise in areas that deliver growth and build the capacity of organisations.
We offer trusted and infrastructure support from our network of experienced expert consultants.
We will help your organisation build operational rigour around Finance, Operations, Business Development and more.
Create Equity’s Project Service Office, allows you to make the most of opportunities and to receive the support you might not otherwise be able to afford or prioritise allowing you to retain the *specialised skills as and when you need them. Our consultants have real commercial experience, use clear language and frameworks that are understood and implementable by people at every level in the organisation.
*specialised skills include practitioners in Strategy, Marketing, Finance, HR and Administration, Legal & Governance, Technology, Business Development and Operations.
Support will be individually tailored to the needs of each organisation, and therefore spaces will be limited.
With MeWe360 as delivery partner, the programme is funded by City Bridge Foundation, Connect Fund, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Social Investment Business
Funded by
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Live Application Workshop Webinar
FORMAL APPLICATION
Calling expert subject matter consultants to support Black and Brown-led organisations
Black and Brown-led organisations are often under-resourced in comparison to those of their white counterparts. This can leave them struggling to fill short term skill set gaps and positions as they grow and expand. We work with a range of consultants to support, share knowledge and expertise in areas that deliver growth and build the capacity of organisations. To meet our future demands, we are now recruiting experts who have a range of skill sets to help us deliver long-term change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Programme offer
What is the Create Equity’s Project Service Office, and how does it support organisations? Through the Project Support office we collaborate with individual organisations to assess their growth needs and match them with subject matter consultants. During this process we get to know you and your organisation and can support you with setting clear plans around financial modelling and planning, setting smart objectives and understanding the key results you want to achieve with your capacity building plans.
Our consultants have real commercial experience, use clear language and frameworks implementable across all levels of an organisation. They specialise in Strategy, Marketing, Finance, HR, Administration, Legal & Governance, Technology, Business Development, Operations, and Impact Measurement.
Is the grant funding paid in one lump sum or is there a staggered payment schedule? The grant will be paid in one lump sum of £2,000.
Are there any items you wouldn’t provide a cash grant for? It’s an unrestricted grant to go towards anything that will support your organisation’s ability to engage in the capacity building programme.
When will programme activities need to be? All programme activities supported by grant funding and subject matter consultants will need to be completed within 12 months from April 2024.
Selection criteria, application and assessment process
What do you mean by organisational growth? It refers to the possibility of acquiring growth finance (typically over £250K), increasing headcount, and/or expanding your products or services within the next 12 to 18 months.
Are you looking for organisations with a particular level of turnover? Yes, typically over £100k per annum
What does it mean to be eligible as a charitable organisation? We support Black and Brown-led organisations with a social mission, providing transformational or innovative solutions in education, social justice, the arts, creative, digital, and media industries.
What types of organisations will you fund? We fund various organisational structures as long as your organisation has charitable objectives and/or benefits the public. Expected legal structures include: Registered Charity, Charitable Trust, Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by guarantee, Community Interest Company (CIC) limited by shares, Community Benefit Society (CBS) registered with an asset lock or a common ownership dissolution clause, Community Benefit Society (CBS) without an asset lock, Company limited by guarantee, Co-operative, Limited liability partnership.
What is the application process? There will be a two-stage process. The first stage will require applicants to complete and submit an ‘Expression of Interest’ form. This will be assessed, and selected applicants will progress to the second stage to complete an ‘Application’ Form.
What information will be required at the Expression of Interest stage? You will be invited to complete an Expression of Interest form, including basic details about your organisation: its structure, mission, focus, growth plan, development needs, and eligibility verification for the program. The form will be in a simple checkbox format.
Can I get any guidance with my Expression of Interest? Yes. For the Expression of Interest stage, live Q&A webinars will be conducted. These sessions will provide insights into the program’s purpose, guidance on completing the form, and details about the application timelines. The webinars are scheduled for Friday, 5th January at 10 am, and Monday, 8th January at 2 pm. Please click on the embedded links to sign up for our live Q&A webinars.
What information will be required for the Application stage? The information required for the Application stage involves a more comprehensive application form focusing on an organisation’s growth plans, development needs, and setting capacity-building objectives and measures for key results. A financial health check will also be conducted to gauge an organisation’s financial resilience.
Can I get any guidance with my Application Form? Live Q&A webinars will be held for organisations invited to the application stage. During these sessions, we’ll thoroughly cover all questions on the application form and offer guidance on the most effective ways to complete it. This stage is designed as a guided process to enhance understanding of your organisation, its products/services, and its community impact.
The scheduled webinars are on Thursday, 8th February at 10 am, and Wednesday, 14th February at 1pm. We will be in touch with applicants who are selected for this stage with a link.
In addition to this for those organisations invited to make an application we are able to provide 121 support if required.
What is the assessment process for each stage of the application process? During the Expression of Interest stage, we assess applicants based on eligibility and how well their organisation fits the aims of the capacity building programme. Notifications about this stage’s outcome will be sent by Monday, February 5th.
Moving to the Application Stage, a more detailed assessment occurs. This will focus on organisational growth potential and alignment of development plans with your organisational goals. Organisations reaching this stage will receive the final decision by week commencing 18th March.
Will I get an acknowledgment of receipt of my application? Yes, we will confirm receipt of your Expression of Interest and receipt of your Application Form if you are selected to progress to this stage.
How and at what point is the final decision made about the level or type of expert consultant support allocated to each organisation? The plan for expert consultancy support will be discussed and agreed with applicants as part of the application form stage. The final package will be decided and communicated to the applicant at the start of the program.
My previous application to the Capacity Building was not successful, should I apply again? Yes, We encourage applying again if you meet the eligibility criteria but recommend attending a Q&A webinar for guidance. Applications were most often unsuccessful due to challenges in articulating strategic growth plans alongside well-aligned financial planning.
Requirements for participants on the programme
How much time commitment is expected from organisations in order to participate in the programme/access the support? This will vary based on your organisation’s needs and the type of consultancy services required. The £2,000 grant is intended to facilitate impactful engagement in the programme.
What are the reporting requirements for organisations on the programme? We will work collaboratively with organisations to set capacity building objectives and agree on key result measures. Organisations will be asked to provide updates on their progress towards these agreed-upon objectives each quarter.
Any questions?
Get in touch with a member of the team who will be happy to assist you.