Modernisation Fund grants up for grabs

Third sector organisations will be able to apply for a £1,000 grant from the Government's Modernisation Fund from this week.

The £16.5m fund, being delivered by third sector infrastructure body Capacitybuilders, is intended to help organisations that provide services to communities hit by the recession. A total of £1m is available in this funding stream, to which only organisations with an annual income of between £150,000 and £750,000 are eligible to apply.

The bursaries will allow organisations to receive advice and support to strengthen their organisations, and look into creating collaborations and mergers.

Later this year, additional grants of £10,000 will be made available for organisations that have already received grants in the first round of funding.

The Modernisation Fund is part of the Government's £42.5m action plan for the third sector, Real Help for Communities, announced earlier this year.

Workshops are being held in England to help organisations look at how the downturn may be affecting them and their communities, and to give information about useful resources available to them.