Birmingham City Council are looking to support projects which will have a positive impact on locally determined priorities, as set individually across the 11 wards. 

click here for a view of the locally determined priorities for your area - areas of focus include the environment, young people, physical and mental wellbeing etc

Participating wards are seeking proposals from local groups and organisations that provide clear benefits to their voluntary, community, social enterprise, faith groups and the residents they serve.

As part of this crowdfunding programme, as well as attracting pledges from local people and organisations with an interest in your project, Birmingham City Council (BCC) also have a funding pot of £1.18 million available in 11 wards to support campaigns through the local element of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Funding.

CIL is a charge which is levied by local authorities on new development in an area and the amount available differs from ward to ward based on the development taking place there. 

Successful campaigns can receive a BCC pledge of up to 50% of your project costs (up to 75% in exceptional circumstances) from the council, up to a maximum amount which differs from ward to ward (see the list below). This funding can be used for revenue or capital costs. 

Having a positive impact on locally determined priorities is essential (click here for a view of the locally determined priorities for your area - areas of focus include the environment, young people, physical and mental wellbeing etc )

Participating wards are seeking proposals from local groups and organisations that provide clear benefits to their voluntary, community, social enterprise, faith groups and the residents they serve.

Be Bold Crowdfunding has two funding rounds a year, in the Spring and in the Autumn. Click here for details and key dates for the current round. 

1.    EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Complete our expression of interest form at your earliest convenience to inform us of your project and knowledge of crowdfunding. A member of the team will be in touch to provide you with the necessary information and support you may need to help get your project started.  

2.    PROJECT PAGE AND PITCH

Create your online project page which will match you to the CIL fund. Here Birmingham Council will ask you some additional questions about your project and how it meets the criteria. 

3.    VERIFICATION

The project costs and necessary permissions will be checked and verified. This involves checking quotes for all the major items and if you have land-owner permission for your project.

4.    CROWDFUNDING

Start by getting lots of small pledges from the community to show local support for your project. This will help unlock bigger pledges.

5.    PLEDGE

Birmingham Council will review all project campaigns and successful projects which fit the criteria of the fund will receive a pledge roughly six weeks after the deadline. The council can pledge up to 50% of your project costs (up to 75% in exceptional circumstances), up to a maximum amount which differs from ward to ward.

Funding is available to projects happening in the wards listed below. Funding is targeted at ward-based constituted organisations with a community interest, situated within participating wards. All projects should be discussed with the Councillor(s) for the ward you are applying to. 

Whilst organisations from outside of the participating wards, seeking to deliver projects with in a particular ward can apply, the beneficiaries of the project must be residents of the below wards. 

If you are not sure what ward your project is based in, please use the below Ward look up tool.

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/wardlookup

Why isn’t my area included/Why can’t I apply for funding?

CIL is governed by a series of regulations and unfortunately, we are only able to charge a CIL for certain types of development in certain areas (this is detailed in our CIL charging schedule available here) 

This means we can only include those wards where CIL has been generated from relevant developments, and we can’t pass this money onto other areas. We aren’t able to include new wards for the Spacehive programme but we hope this will change in future as our CIL changes.

Who can apply

• This funding is available to any constituted groups including Charities, CICs, CIOs and social enterprises (where there are governance arrangements in place and they can demonstrate community interest delivery).
• Individuals and non-constituted groups currently cannot apply.
• Both revenue and capital costs can be included.
• All projects must have a wider social benefit and cannot be for -profit projects.
• Schools and religious organisations can apply once the project will benefit the wider community and not just the immediate students or congregation. 
• Projects cannot have a political affiliation