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Funding & Donations

Gatis Community Space although a not for profit company still needs funding to pay for various things such as building operating costs, insurance, supporting self employed team members for managing the centre and providing the activities. Its always a fine balancing act to make sure there is enough money coming in to cover everything and our director and management team have a fundraising strategy in place. That strategy involves raising funds from four main areas:

Grant Funding

This is our main source of income and we have benefited from a wide range of grants since we started our operations (a list is provided below). These range from small grants that support single initiatives and one-off costs such as grant support to replace a broken fridge and freezer to large multi-year grants that cover both staff and operational costs of the building. Currently, we are encouraging those self-employed partners to look at developing their activities and skills and offer support to find funding opportunities to support project ideas. We are also currently developing city-wide partnerships to look at larger funding pots to support the city as a whole

Commercial Activities

These include the Community Café income, Hiring the facilities to third parties, plant sales and ticket sales on specific events.

Donations

Including donations made at Real Junk Food Project activities and events, event and activities where there is no set cost just a suggested donation, crowdfunding initiatives and general donations (these may not be limited to financial donation but donations of equipment, resources and volunteering time).

Commissioned Work

This can include such projects as our current ESF Community Funding to provide a mentored volunteer programme and providing workshops and business development support to local organisations, and may in the future include services supporting the local health authority or council commissioned services.

Since we started our voluntary activities on site in December 2013 we have received or are in the process of receiving the following grant funding:

Whitmore Reans Connect £300 towards new kitchen equipment

Whitmore Reans Connect £300 towards promotional video and experience day to engage with local schools

Police Commissioners Fund £1000 towards general community activities

Grow Wild £2500 towards creating a wildflower strip on the playing fields and hosting nature workshops.

National Express Foundation £2500 to engage with young people aged 15 to 25 and provide volunteering opportunities for them.

Awards for All £10000 to provide craft and nature workshops and events

ITV People Project 2017 Finalists and Runners Up -£5000 to run bushcraft activities for disadvantaged children

Barrow Cadbury £3000 to support the Community Café start up costs.

Creative Black Country £4800 over two years to support arts activities – #LOVETHEREANS and Lantern Parade as well as story competitions and art bomb events.

Comic Relief £1000 towards a volunteer gardening club.

European Social Fund £9900 towards a volunteer mentoring programme helping long term unemployed explore skills.

Esmee Fairbairn 2016 / 2018 £44996 towards building operating costs and staff costs.

Esmee Fairbairn 2018 / 2020 £45656 towards staff costs and sessional worker costs and activities.

Power To Change (late 2017 to 2019) £119073 towards staff costs, sessional workers, volunteer costs, training costs, refurbishment of office and equipment costs and some outdoor space development costs.