Empowering communities through micro-funding

This interactive digital event explored how micro-funding can help to tackle social isolation and loneliness in older people.

It was the second event in the Ageing Better programme’s dissemination events series, taking place on 1 July 2020.

We started from a broad definition of micro-funding – as a way of channelling smaller pots of funding to grassroots voluntary and community sector organisations to enable them to make a positive impact to their community. Micro-funding can be particularly effective for organisations that are volunteer-led and less able to access traditional, larger grant funding.

This interactive and collaborative session:

• explored Ageing Better partnerships’ experiences of developing and managing micro-funding programmes
• considered how Ageing Better partnerships made funding accessible
• highlighted how a micro-funding approach enabled partnerships to work with older people in a different way
• drew out actionable learning about what makes a successful micro-funding programme and principles for delivery that
  could be applied in charitable funding contexts, within local authorities and elsewhere.

This short film shows what Ageing Better partnerships, volunteers and participants in Greater Manchester and Bristol feel about the value of embedding micro-funding in their programmes.

Around 45 people joined the event with many insights shared, 91% saying they would recommend an event like this to a colleague.

Really positive event. Well timed and organised. Discussion was great

Outputs from the event

Please take a look at the insights pack from the event, which includes links to the speakers’ talks.