Come along to the Cost of living advice day at Calon Las Community Hub 20th March 2-4pm.

Many organisations will be attending to offer advice and support.

Stephens and George Charitable trust are looking for volunteers for the Merthyr Tydfil Children's Literature Festival on April 20th 2023.

If you or your organisation can help with the Largest Children's Literature Festival celebrating World Book Day please get in touch via charity1@stephensandgeorge.co.uk or call us 01685 375331 for more information.

The grant helps ensure that the refreshed Child Poverty Strategy is developed with people from households and communities where children are living in poverty.

The community engagement grant is available to third sector, community groups or organisations which specialise in supporting, engaging or working with people with protected characteristics. This is to engage with children and young people and/or parents/carers, families and communities and gain their views for the new Child Poverty Strategy.

Funding of up to a maximum of £4,995 is available for each grant applicant.  While a minimum of 2 engagement events is required, we would expect applications offering only 2 events not to require lower costs.   £4,995 is the maximum funding available and anticipate applications for the minimum number of events should have lower related costs.  

For more information on this grant opportunity click this link Child poverty strategy community engagement grant

Apply by completing the https://www.gov.wales/child-poverty-strategy-community-engagement-grant-application-form and email your completed application to tacklingpovertyandsupportingfamilies@gov.wales

Who can apply:

• Third sector, community groups or organisations which specialise in supporting, engaging or working with people with protected characteristics.
• We welcome applications that propose partnership and collaborative working. There should be one lead applicant who will act as the grant holder and data controller.
• We will not accept applications from any organisation with a party-political affiliation.

The grant application window closes 27 February 2023

Successful applicants will need to provide a consultation response template by Monday 10 April 2023.

The next edition of Inform, VAMT’s Newsletter will be circulated in March.  It’s an ideal opportunity to let the wider third sector and others across the borough and beyond know what you’re doing.

It’s a chance for you to share successes, new activities or just let other people know what your group is up to. 

Articles of 300-400 words are welcomed, especially if accompanied by high resolution images, plus a jpeg logo if possible. 

Inform has a wide circulation, so it's an ideal opportunity to show others what you do.    

If you would like to submit an article can you email frances.barry@vamt.net by Friday March 3^rd.

The £150 million Community Ownership Fund is for communities across the United Kingdom. It has been set up to help communities take ownership of assets at risk of closure. It will run for 4 years until 2024/25.

Voluntary and community organisations can bid for funding to support the purchase and/or renovation costs of community assets.

Proposals will need to prove the value of the asset to local people and that the asset can run sustainably for the long-term benefit of the community.

The prospectus sets out information on the:

• eligibility requirements
• assessment criteria
• funding available
• application process
• next steps after submitting your application

All the information needed can be found HERE in the prospectus. 

Key information for the full application bidding windows in 2022/23 are as follows:

• bidding window 3: 15 February to 14 April 2023
• each bidding window will close at 11:59am on its respective closing date
• the dates of future bidding windows will be announced in due course

Your full applications must be submitted by 11:59am on 14 April 2023 if you are applying in the third bidding window.