January 23, 2025

Please find below details of Team Barrow – Social Impact Fund Year 1, which we are sharing on behalf of Nat Wealleans-Turner, Team Barrow Community & Social Impact Workstream Lead at Westmorland and Furness Council:

 

Dear Barrow Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE ) Sector Leaders,

I am delighted to email you about an exciting opportunity via the Team Barrow Programme and its Year 1 Social Impact Fund- please read on!

Team Barrow – Team Barrow is a collaborative approach to harness the significant investment, funding, skills, and capabilities of national government, local government, BAE Systems, businesses and the community. This partnership working puts Barrow’s community at the centre of our vision, while ensuring delivery of a vital government priority and two core outcomes:

1. Deliver the Defence Nuclear Enterprise at Barrow efficiently and securely; and
2. Diversify and strengthen Barrow’s economy and increase productivity.

Team Barrow was formed following the Government’s Deep Dive findings which took place in August 2023 with cross-sector colleagues, which outlined the challenges faced by communities in Barrow including those faced by the VCFSE sector. In response the £5m Social Impact Fund was created in addition to the £200m Transformation Fund and The Work and Health Fund to address issues and build capability in Barrow.

Call To Action – The Social Impact Fund Year 1 – We know the sector is doing vital work and doing it together to get the best outcomes for people and our communities, and we don’t want you to compete against each other for Year 1 funding. This is a call to action to work together to spend £500K by 31 March 2025 by identifying which VCFSE organisations need this funding most. We anticipate receiving only a small number of proformas that have been worked up collaboratively outlining which handful of critical and well-established VCFSE organisations in Barrow will receive stabilisation funding.

Next Steps –

Workshop – VCFSE organisations are invited to attend a workshop on Thursday 6th February 1pm-3.30pm in the Drawing Room at the Barrow Town Hall to discuss ideas, and develop collaborative proformas. Please email me to book a place.

Apply – Using these documents:

Social Impact Fund Year 1 Call to Action

Social Impact Fund Year 1 Proforma

VCFSE sector leaders are invited to mobilise quickly, and work collaboratively using their knowledge, networks, and partnerships to identify a handful of VCFSE organisations that would benefit from The Social Impact Fund Year 1 investment and submit completed proforma to me via Nat.Wealleans-Turner@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk

Deadline – Please submit completed proforma by close of play on Monday 24th February 2025.

Outcome – I will inform successful VCFSE organisations of the outcome by mid-March 2025. I will also contact unsuccessful VCFSE organisations to connect them with Cumbria CVS and local funders to explore other funding routes and invite them to seek investment via The Social Impact Fund in Year 2 due to be launched in April 2025.

I look forward to hearing from our Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector leaders and working with you and the wider sector through the Team Barrow Programme.

Best wishes,

Nat Wealleans-Turner
Team Barrow Community & Social Impact Workstream Lead
Westmorland and Furness Council
Town Hall, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LD

Tel: 07901 781001
Email: nat.wealleans-turner@westmorlandandfurness.org.uk