A new initiative has been announced by Nottingham City Council to make it easier for people in the city to improve their local area.
In partnership with Spacehive, the community fundraising platform, the Crowdfund Nottingham programme will enable local residents across the city to exclusively access funding for community engagement and employment support projects. Ideas could include promoting social inclusion and diversity, improving health and wellbeing or supporting progression into work through the improvement of existing venues, facilities or green spaces.
In addition to the money raised by local initiatives via crowdfunding, the council will provide a total of £325,000 of capital funding it has secured from the national UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This fund, together with the crowdfunding nature of this programme, maximises the amount campaigners can raise in order to deliver transformational community projects that matter to them.
Nottingham City Council and Spacehive are keen to hear from Nottingham residents who have an innovative idea to improve their local area. No fundraising experience is necessary, 65% of Spacehive creators are creating a community project for the first time. Spacehive assists project creators with online workshops, 1-2-1 support and resources, providing advice on everything from project costs to campaign promotion.
The virtual Crowdfund Nottingham launch event is at 12- 1pm on Wednesday 29th November.
To register, visit this link. To kick off the funding window, all project ideas should be launched on the Spacehive platform and pitched to the available funds ahead of the first council panel assessment due in April.
Cllr Steve Battlemuch, the council’s Portfolio Holder for Skills, Growth, Economic Development and Property, said: “We’re really pleased to be partnering with Spacehive on the Crowdfund Nottingham project having seen the work they have done in other parts of the country. It’s an innovative way of maximising the money available to communities for local projects, providing seed funding which people can then maximise through crowdfunding.”
Misha Dhanak, CEO of Spacehive, said: “We can’t wait to hear what the residents of Nottingham have planned for their local area. This could be anything from improving community wellbeing, revamping green spaces, creating community gardens, or supporting learning hubs that help develop skills and knowledge. This is our first fundraising initiative with Nottingham City Council, and we’re proud to work with them to support the ambitious change people want to make happen in their local area”.
If you have an idea for a project in your local area, please get in touch with Spacehive today.
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About Spacehive
The home of community fundraising, Spacehive makes it easy for people to improve their local area. We build technology to help crowdfund local projects that communities want; from spruced up playgrounds and new street markets, to city farms and learning hubs. We have helped fund over 2,000 ideas and raised more than £30 million to support local communities.
When local communities have an idea and start a project, Spacehive connects it to exclusive funds from companies, councils and foundations that want to help bring communities to life. We have the highest success rate of any crowdfunding platform in the UK (85% success rate, rising to 94% when a partner pledges). Our aim is to deliver the bright, transformational local project ideas that make communities happy, proud and prosperous. For more information visit spacehive.com