Wall Heath in Bloom has become the first community organisation to secure funding through Crowdfund Dudley Borough.
Dudley Council and Spacehive co-ordinate the £480,000 funding pot which provides support to community projects across the borough.
The Crowdfund Dudley Borough platform offers a unique opportunity for local projects to access funding through public pledges and community support. Projects create a funding page and invite backers. Once they hit a certain amount of community pledges, the council assesses the project’s viability and if approved provides the remaining funding, usually between 50% and 80%.
The successful bid comes on the back of news that to encourage uptake before the end of the financial year, the UKSPF contribution rate will increase from 60% to 80% of total project cost and the previous maximum reward cap of £20,000 will be removed.
Councillor Paul Bradley, cabinet member for economic delivery, said:
"“I am thrilled to announce pledge funding for Wall Heath in Bloom, the first community organisation that has successfully raised the funds it needs through the Crowdfund Dudley Borough pilot programme. This marks a significant milestone in the council’s commitment to supporting local initiatives and enhancing community-led projects.
“There are currently eight community-led projects crowdfunding through Crowdfund Dudley Borough, with more to come. These community-led projects exemplify the spirit of community collaboration and creativity that Dudley Council is dedicated to fostering. I encourage more community organisations to take advantage of this opportunity and pitch their ideas for a pledge.”
Crowdfund Dudley Borough has received £200,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and £287,000 from The Dudley Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
Dudley Council’s pledge funding will enable these community-driven projects to gain the momentum they need to move forward. The support from the council demonstrates a strong commitment to nurturing grassroots community projects that address local needs.
Dudley Council encourages more community organisations to bring forward their innovative ideas and projects and register on Crowdfund Dudley Borough. Whether enhancing green and town centre spaces, supporting young people’s ideas and ambitions, helping to reduce inequality, addressing isolation or improving access to the arts, Dudley Council is eager to see more local initiatives thrive.
To register a community project, begin crowdfunding and apply for a pledge from Dudley Council, visit www.spacehive.com/movement/dudley and submit a project proposal. Detailed guidelines and support are available on the Spacehive platform to help with the application process.