Modernisation Fund

Overview

The £16.5 million Real Help for Communities Modernisation Fund helped charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises, providing services to those worst hit by the recession, be more resilient to the impact of the economic downturn.

The fund was launched in June 2009 and consisted of £1,000 bursaries and grants of up to £10,000, from Capacitybuilders and 0% interest loans of between £30,000 and £500,000, delivered by The Social Investment Business.

Find out more

The fund has now closed to new applicants, but you can find out more about aims and outcomes of the Modernisation Fund by reading the information below and visiting the Social Investment Business website.

Resources and further support

A range of resources and further information about collaboration and merger - including an online self assessment tool - is available on the Improving Support website.

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About Capacitybuilders' Modernisation Fund bursaries and grants

During 2009-10, Capacitybuilders delivered the £7m grants element of the Office of the Third Sector’s Modernisation Fund, helping a range of third sector organisations to increase their resilience by working more closely together – through collaboration and merger - to increase their impact.

Strengthening organisations

The Fund helped strengthen organisations that provide services to those worst hit by the economic downturn by supporting them to collaborate with others, merge, or develop in other ways to respond to difficult times.

PHASE ONE - bursaries

The first phase of the Fund, which opened for application in June 2009, offered bursaries of £1000 to over 800 frontline organisations working in areas of importance to communities affected by the economic downturn.

Providing access to advice and support

The bursaries enabled organisations to access advice and support to explore the benefits of collaboration and merger as a means of becoming more resilient in the face of the economic downturn.

PHASE TWO - grants

Organisations who benefited from bursary-funded support were then invited to apply for grants of up to £10,000 to make further progress towards collaboration or merger. Over 500 organisations received these awards.