Capacity building

Our vision is to support and invest in a thriving and diverse voluntary and community sector (VCS) to enable it to improve outcomes for Tower Hamlets residents.

The Mayor’s Capacity Building Programme (MCBP) will provide funding for VCS organisations to access capacity building support so you can strengthen your ability to deliver high quality services to residents.

The purpose of this prospectus is to provide you with the information on how to make an application to the MCBP and guidance on how you can develop a high-quality application.

What is capacity building?

Capacity building is the process of strengthening an organisation's skills, knowledge and infrastructure. It includes activities that help the organisation improve its performance and impact in achieving its mission.

What outcomes do we want to achieve?

We want to provide funding for organisations to enable you to get support which will help build your organisations capacity so you can improve your ability to meet the needs of residents.

We want to:

• Strengthen organisations’ ability to achieve their vision
• Improve knowledge and skills of management committee, staff and volunteers
• Improve the quality of services delivered to the community
• Increase the positive impact organisations have on residents 

Eligibility 

Funding is available to: 

• Organisations with income below £150,000
• Voluntary and community sector organisations with a constitution
• Registered charities, including charitable incorporated organisations
• Registered not-for-profit companies
• Registered community interest companies
• Faith-based groups, where the funding is for inclusive activity that is open to all
• Organisations that can show a clear connection to Tower Hamlets 

Funding is not available to:

• Voluntary and community sectors organisations with an annual income of over £150,000
• Individuals
• Sole traders
• Profit making companies
• Political organisations 

How much money is available? 

The total budget for the Mayor’s Capacity Building Programme is £100,000 per year.  

You can apply for up to £2,500.  

Your organisation can only receive one grant from this theme per financial year, which runs between 1 April to 31 March. If your application is unsuccessful you can apply again in the same year.  

What can the funding be used for? 

Funding can be used for: 

• Capacity building support which helps your organisation to develop
• Learning and development which improves your management committee, staff and volunteer skills
• Consultancy services to hire experts who can provide specialist advice or guidance to your organisation
• Marketing and communications
• Research and evaluation
• Bid writing support 

If you have an idea of something you would like us to fund and you are not sure if it meets the criteria, then please contact the team by emailing vcs@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

What can funding not be used for? 

• General operating costs such as rent, utilities or administrative costs
• Expansion of existing or new projects that directly support beneficiaries
• Previously funded capacity building work/activities
• Individual salaries of existing staff
• Capital works or major building works
• General charitable appeals
• To pay back debt or cover past expenditure

Timeline 

The bidding period for the grants programme will last for six weeks.

Applications will be open throughout the year. All applications submitted by 25 October 2024 will be considered for decision in December.

If you want to submit an application for April 2025, please ensure the application is submitted after 25 October and by 14 February 2025.

Check the timeline for application deadline, notification of award decision and delivery to start from.

Organising events in parks and open spaces

If your project includes organising an event in an open space, you must get permission from the landowner.

Apply for the use of Tower Hamlets’ parks and open spaces and street parties.

Bidding process 

To apply you need to complete an application form and provide us with information about your organisation and what you want to use the funding for.

All bids must be submitted online through the council’s online portal, Blackbaud Grant Making (BBGM).  We cannot accept submissions by email, by post or by hand. 

Applications will be made on one form with two sections. The first section is about your organisation and the second section is about the project you’re bidding for.  

Access the portal

If you are having issues using BBGM please contact us at vcs@towerhamlets.org.uk.

Assessments

Organisation assessment

The organisational assessment is to see if your organisation meets the standards the council expects of organisations it supports with public funds.

You will need to submit the following documents as part of the organisation assessment:

• a copy of your constitution or other governance document
• your address, rental agreement or evidence that you have successfully delivered services in Tower Hamlets for at least one year
• Name of bank account, sort code and account number
• Evidence of income of below £150,000
• Safeguarding policy
• Equality and diversity policy
• Insurance certificates

The governance, local connection and managing money criteria are pass or fail, so if your organisation fails on any of these criteria, you will not be eligible for funding.

If you do not have a safeguarding policy, equalities policy or insurance then you will still be eligible for funding, but we will agree a date with you when they need to be in place.

Project assessment

To assess your project, we will use the following criteria:

• What outcomes do you want to achieve?
• What activities will you do to achieve the outcomes?
• Track record
• Budget and resources plan