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Capital Investment Programme

Background

The Capital Investment Programme was launched in 2008 to support improvements and development of local third sector resources centres with an initial investment of £5m allocated by Capacitybuilders.

Thanks to an additional £2m of capital investment from the Office of the Third Sector, more frontline third sector organisations are benefiting from improved facilities at local resource centres across England.

Voluntary Action RutlandSupporting small scale improvements.

Capital Strand A 2010 grants of up to £30,000 have been awarded to 96 local resource centres enabling them to make small scale improvements to their premises which result in improved availability, or quality and accessibility of accommodation or shared facilities for local third sector organisations.  NB: the closing date for Capital Strand A 2010 applications was 24 December 2009.

Responding to the impact of the recession

Strand A 2010 responds to the increased demand on services, shared facilities and opportunities offered by local third sector resource centres.

Prioritisation has been given to projects which have specific relevance to the challenges facing the sector during the recession.

First three phases of investment

Strand A: In early 2009, Capacitybuilders made 61 grant awards of up to £30,000 to functioning resource centres across England to support smaller-scale developments, such as improvements to the availability, accessibility or quality of accommodation, or shared facilities such as additional meeting rooms, office or storage space, better ICT, or access to resources such as a common library.

Strand B: This second strand of the programme offered larger grants of up to £200,000 for significant refurbishment (£50,000 - £200,000). 9 grants have now been awarded.

Strand C:  Capacitybuilders intend to award grants of up to £500,000 to large-scale flagship projects.  10 shortlisted projects are currently finalising business plans and awards will be made in early 2010. 

Impact on the ground

The first round of Strand A grant awards earlier this year have demonstrated how even relatively small scale changes, such as  enabling more flexible use of meeting space, can deliver real and immediate benefits to frontline organisations - enabling them to better meet the needs of local communities impacted of the economic downturn.