It’s been a really tough year for charities and community groups.  The pandemic has severely affected demand on services, the ability to be open, provide vital services and raise the income needed.

Community Action Network (CAN) has been awarded a grant of £49,874.50 from BCP Council to significantly boost their support to develop and sustain charities and community groups by providing professional funding advice, using a new expert worker, coupled with our expertise in business development, good governance, and quality practice.

The delivery of this innovative project will help to generate pride in the local area and provide long term benefits for the wider business community.

Emma Lee, CAN Partnerships Manager said:

“We’re delighted to receive this grant which will help charities and community groups across Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole not only maintain but increase services that meet the needs of their communities, maintain and increase volunteers and protect and increase their incomes. This will ensure the continued vitality of the local voluntary and community sector and support BCP Council’s plans to drive growth across the region.’’

CAN is a charity that provides professional and practical support to organisations working within the voluntary and community sector in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. We want to see these communities healthy, diverse, vibrant and flourishing.

Our mission is to empower the voluntary sector, enable volunteering and involve communities, and we believe that together, we CAN make a difference.

We provide professional expertise, practical services and a platform for promoting and sharing volunteering opportunities. We help groups set up, speak up on their behalf to ensure they have a say in the local community, support them to network, and give them the tools and knowledge they need to grow and thrive.

Councillor Philip Broadhead, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economy at BCP Council, said:

“Following a competitive application process, we are pleased to award this grant to Community Action Network. This project is just one of many innovative initiatives that our latest package of discretionary business support will now bring to life. It will contribute towards Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole’s reputation as a place where businesses can continue to flourish and grow.’’

For more information about our about our training, meet the funder webinars or to book an appointment with one of our experts sign up using this link - VCO Bouce Back-Registration Survey (surveymonkey.co.uk). 

For more information about CAN, our membership and volunteering opportunities, please visit: www.can100.org