Themed small group meetings (online) for autumn 2020

We’re planning small group meetings this autumn for people running (or thinking of running) community groups and projects in Birmingham.

Held online while we keep one another safe, each interactive meeting takes a different theme to give you relevant support according to the stage you have reached with your community group or project.

We’re limiting attendance to four or five people per meeting – plus our Community Matters Helpers – to give maximum focus and attention to the groups represented.

If you’d like a second person from your community group to join you, that’s fine – please nominate one of you as the spokesperson, so the other is simply listening in.

The themes are:

Getting started
I’ve had an idea – what next?
This meeting is for people in the earliest stages of starting a community group or project. Perhaps you’ve been inspired by the pandemic to ‘do more’ in your community, or you’ve grown a Facebook or WhatsApp group of like-minded people and want to turn interest into community action. At this point it’s easy to get bogged down worrying about structure and how you will secure funding. We say: ‘function before form’! Try things out, get people together … only then decide what setup will work best for you. This will be an encouraging, helpful session, with the underlying message that ‘this is possible’.

Becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation 
What should I consider when seeking CIO status for my group?
This practical meeting is for people whose community group is moving towards becoming a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). We will talk about what you need to know, and which documents you need to prepare when registering with the Charity Commission.

Planning a project budget
How do I put costs against proposed activities to show funders?
This meeting is for people who are ready to make funding applications for their community group/project and need support in working out costs against their proposed activities. Together we will look at your specific circumstances and work through what you need to consider when mapping out direct project costs and overheads.

Applying for funding 
How can I make this application stronger?
This meeting is for people who are already making funding applications for their community organisation. Maybe you’ve had one rejected recently, or you’re preparing one for submission soon. With the expert knowledge of John Ellery from fundraising consultants Get Grants, we will work through your application together and consider ways to make your submission stronger. To secure your place in this meeting and ensure you get maximum benefit, we will ask you to share an application that is either underway or has been submitted and was unsuccessful.

Restarting community activities during COVID-19
How do I get my community organisation going again?
The coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives and, for certain activities, projects and community premises, the way forward isn’t clear. In this practical and reassuring meeting we will explore together the things you should consider when restarting your community organisation – including risk assessments and social* distancing.
*We still prefer to say physical distancing! Social interaction is more important than ever.

To sign up for a meeting, please complete this expression of interest form. We will get in touch to confirm your space, and a time and date. We are expecting these meetings to be popular, so we will allocate spaces on a first come, first served basis, and make dates available as they are needed.