Members Roundtable Exchange 23rd January 2024

This the first of the new year. The purpose of the meeting is for members to share updates on grant programmes, strategies, learning and insights from grant funding, research and exchange information and advice on regional issues, challenges, themes and/or grant making practice. Members put forward several agenda items and it was a well attended and full meeting. Heritage Lottery Community Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund provided updates on programme funding, Barrow Cadbury Trust updated members on their Economic Justice Programme focussed on Birmingham. Tony Thapar, WMCA, who leads on the Community Environment Fund sought feedback on members’ appetite for embedding sustainability and environmental concerns in their funding approach. Ian Henshaw, BVSC presented an update on the progress that Birmingham City Council is making on addressing its Section 114 and the timetable for announcing the budget for 2024-25. There will be a briefing with Cllr John Cotton and Dr Graeme Betts (Head of Adult services) on the 8th February online @ 1pm on the budgetary implications for LA services and potential impact on the VCSE sector. Download the notes to the meeting and BVSC presentation on Section 114 Birmingham City Council, the research proposal on Section 114 and its potential implications for VCSE sector and services.