The Our Tower Hamlets Programme runds two funding rounds a year, in the Spring and in the Autumn. 

Please follow the below steps to ensure your project is ready for the 15th of September 2021 deadline. 

For this funding round, there is a particular focus on encouraging organisations to come forward who are supporting disadvantaged and hard to reach groups in our community and those working with people with disabilities.

We will also be running a free workshop on the 15th of July for those interested. 

Read below process to understand how to get involved.

1.    EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

Complete our expression of interest form at your earliest convenience to inform us of your project idea 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 Our Tower Hamlets Innovation fund. Here Tower Hamlets Council will ask you some additional questions about your project. You need to complete this step by the 15th of September. 

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

Tower Hamlets Council will review all project campaigns and successful projects can expect to receive a pledge in late May.

6. HIT YOUR TARGET AND DELIVER YOUR PROJECT

Please note that the council will not be the first organisation to pledge to your project and will want to see community support and backing, in the form of smaller pledges from local people, before they pledge to your campaign. 

Click here for more information on the Tower Hamlets Innovation Fund

To to eligible for this fund your project must be a not-for-profit and your organisation must be a Charity, a Constituted Commmuntiy grorup, Community Interest Company (CIC) or Private Enterprise (with no share capital). 

The Tower Hamlets Innovation Fund is designed specifically to provide match funding support of up to £10,000 (or a maximum of 50% of an organisations crowdfunding target) to organisations based and working in Tower Hamlets. Organisations would need to crowdfund through Spacehive for the remainder of their target.

For more information on the assessment process please follow this link -  Tower Hamlets Innovation Fund

Projects created on 'Our Tower Hamlets' must align thier outcomes with the;

• Tower Hamlets Plan 2018-2023 https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/community_and_living/community_plan/tower_hamlets_plan.aspx
• Strategic Plan 2018-2021 https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/community_and_living/community_plan/strategic_plan.aspx

We are interested in funding project that;

• Help to improve green spaces
• Project activities that increase volunteering or training opportunities. 
• Projects that help build a cohesive community by delivering cultural or arts based activities that foster community connections, helping to reduce isolation in Tower Hamlets.
• Projects that encourage the use of new and emerging technologies in delivering the Tower Hamlets Priorities to residents.

Our Tower Hamlets: #LetsPullTogether through this crisis

Tower Hamlets have been inspired by the community response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and seeing so many people coming together to help each other in these uncertain times.

In order to support organisations who are on the front line, supporting those most vulnerable, we have made some significant changes to how the the Our Tower Hamlets programme operates during this time, enabling these groups to raise the funds they need, fast. 

Changes to the programme:

• The criteria of the programme has been loosened so that organisations responding to, or impacted by the crisis can raise funds for essential supplies eg food backs, or running costs for a key community asset.
• Projects responding to the crisis will be prioritised by the council who will use the funding associated with this programme to pledge quickly and generously to campaigns wherever possible. 
• For campaigns which provide directemergency support to people still shilding or in lock down, Spacehive are waivign the 5% fee.
• While other projects need to be part of a particular round whcih have specific deadline, projects suporting people shielding in lock down can come forward at any time. 

Key information for you and your organisaiton

• Read the council's latest advice, guidance and information on the coronavirus crisis 
• THCVS has pulled important information together for 3rd sector organisations impacted by the crisis 

Local Covid-19 campaigns

We've already seen people came to us with some great ideas which you can support and take inspiration from:

• Help Bow Food Bank feed the community
• Food for Tower Hamlets by First Love Foundation 

Got an idea and need support?

We'll soon be producing guidance and tips on how to crowdfund safely and successfully during this period. 

Need some more advice on your project idea before you create your project page? Click here to tell us about your idea and we'll feed back with guidance on how to get it ready for crowdfunding.

For any additional questions, please contact Spacehive on support@spacehive.com.