NewsOur first newsletter of 2012!31 January 2012 Read our latest If you have any comments about how we can help support your project, click here to complete our funding Loading...">survey
BBC Countryfile in the Blackdown Hills!27 January 2012
Date: Sunday 5th February 2012
RDPE Funding and Support27 January 2012 If you are a farmer, grower, forester, land owner, rural business or part of a rural community you could potentially benefit from funding provided through the Rural Development Programme for England. http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources
Funding Fair Success30 November 2011 http://www.sitesplus.co.uk/user_docs/500/File/Press%20release%20on%20Funding%20Fair.pdf
Gates Close for Funding Applications01 November 2011 New applications to local grant provider “Making it Local”, based in the Blackdown Hills and East Devon Areas of Outstanding Beauty (AONB) are on hold due to budget cuts by Defra.
Funding for village enterprises31 August 2011 Big Lottery Fund – new Village SOS programme to offer grants worth between £10,000 and £30,000 for rural projects The Big Lottery Fund (BLF) is today inviting rural organisations across the UK to bid for a share of £5m of funding. The initiative is part of the BLF’s Village SOS programme, which supports ventures that revive village life. Organisations can apply for grants worth between £10,000 and £30,000 for projects that, according to a BLF statement, will support "the brightest ideas for new community enterprises that will make a lasting difference in rural communities with a population of less than 3,000". The announcement is timed to coincide with the start of a new BBC One series tonight called Village SOS, which shows how six UK villages have used grants of £400,000, awarded previously from the programme by the BLF, to set up new community-run businesses. Peter Wanless, chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "Every year, hundreds of local amenities such as shops and pubs close down in rural areas. The effects of this, along with limited transport options, rural isolation and lack of employment opportunities for young people, can all strike at the heart of village life. Through this campaign, the BLF will help people to tackle all this by bringing together support, information and expert advice on how to develop community enterprises." The BLF is also staging a series of events across the UK providing advice on setting up community businesses. The events will be run in partnership by the Plunkett Foundation, ACRE, Localityand Co-operatives UK. For more details, visit villagesos.org.uk.
May 2011 Newsletter19 May 2011 Download the May 2011 newsletter for more information on our latest projects.
Press release on suspension of approvals22 March 2011 The effect of last year's government spending review has reached Making it Local, a local funding programme for small businesses and community groups, which has had to be suspended temporarily to new applicants. Making it Local is a £2.4 million fund which covers the Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONBs (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and some surrounding towns and parishes. It is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) which is currently managed by Regional Development Agencies but will transfer to Defra in July 2011. On Monday 7th March the Making it Local team received news that the South West RDA has decided to suspend funding programmes like Making it Local while Defra review and reallocate spending. Making it Local chairman, Councillor Paul Diviani said, "We cannot approve any new aplications at present, but we will still accept and advise on applications so that they can move forward quickly when the money is released in a few months' time. The Making it Local team are also working hard to help projects find alternative funding, so we would encourage people to continue to contact us." Making it Local, which is hosted by Devon County Council, has already committed £1.2million to the rural economy of the two AONBs. Successful applicant David Willis said "We were able to make our village hall at Donyatt much more energy efficient, saving money and reducing our carbon footprint. Making it Local is a perfect example of the Big Society in action - communities finding solutions to their own needs. We hope that other communities can benefit from it in the future, as we have in Donyatt."
Local Funding for Local Projects05 October 2010
Businesses and community groups within the East Devon and Blackdown Hills Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and surrounding areas are lucky to have a programme of £2.4million European funding from the Rural Development Programme for England, delivered through the South West Regional Development Agency. The funding programme, known as Making it Local, has now allocated nearly half its funding to 32 projects but there is still plenty more funding available. Projects will be supported if they focus on raising business performance, connecting communities or making the most of local resources.
Estonians Visit Making it Local Area07 April 2010 ( Last Updated: 01-04-2010 )
Members of an Estonian Local Action Group, the West Estonian Islands Partnership, have visited the UK this week and to find out more about the work of Making it Local, the Local Action Group for the Blackdown Hills and East Devon Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Local Action Groups (LAGs) are locally managed grant schemes, which are tailored to their geographical area. Incorporating funding from the EU, Defra, South West RDA and LEADER, they fund projects to strengthen the local economy, improve quality of life and enable rural communities to thrive. Making it Local aims to use the outstanding landscapes and local skills in its area as a springboard for healthy and lasting development.
Local film-maker, Justin Owen, has been commissioned to make a documentary of the visit and followed the Estonians to capture footage of the various businesses and projects, as well as many of the key points raised along the way. The film was premiered at the visitors' accommodation on their last night and they were able to take home copies on DVD. Parts of the film will be uploaded to the Making it Local and Blackdown Hills and East Devon AONB websites, as well as to social media sites.
Devon County Council Visit01 April 2010
On 1st April Senior Officers from Devon County Council visited the Making it Local offices. They came to see what we have been up to within the Programme. They also visited Wellington Monument where they had a look at the local landscape and met a Making it Local funded project called Working our Woodlands. The meeting went very well and it was good to get officers from Devon County Council to meet the Making it Local team, members of the Programme Management Group and AONB Managers.
Thanks for your project ideas!!03 February 2010 Here in the office at Making it Local it has been a busy January!
Update February 201001 February 2010
Advice for Market and Coastal Towns Projects16 December 2009 Making it Local Market and Coastal Towns Paper
If you have a project idea for a market or coastal town please read our Market and Coastal Towns and the Rural Hinterlands: ‘collaboration’ priorities paper. This paper will help potential applicants plan their projects and understand our priorities for market and coastal towns. Download this paper from our Useful Links webpage or contact us for a copy.
New Small Grants Fund in the Blackdown Hills and East Devon05 November 2009 Do you have a community project or business idea that needs funding? Making it Local has just launched its Small Grants Fund. Grants are available for between £1,000 and £10,000 for projects based in East Devon and Blackdown Hills which focus on:
The first deadline for Small Grant applications is 18th January 2010, but we are inviting people to submit their initial project ideas to us now. If you have an idea for a small project, please contact us, as we can help you develop your idea.
Making it Local Programme Manager Jenny Archard, says ‘experience shows that small amounts of money can make big differences to local businesses and communities. Making it Local wants to help make the most of what we have and develop exciting new ideas.’
Since Making it Local was launched earlier this year it has approved six projects within the Main Grants Fund. A forestry apprenticeship programme, digital mentor scheme, community shop improvements, a business support initiative, a local woodland project and the construction of an interpretation centre will all benefit from funding from Making it Local. The Small Grants Fund will provide funding for smaller projects.
If you would like to get involved with Making it Local, you could train to become a volunteer project appraiser on 28th January 2010 or attend our Spring Update Event on 29th April 2010. For further information please visit www.makingitlocal.org email makingitlocal@devon.gov.uk or phone 01823 680626.
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