Funding news - 21/02/2012
£60k 'Buy Better Together Challenge' Opens to Applications
The newly launched Buy Better Together Challenge is designed to promote community buying models in the UK.
Community buying involves groups of individuals combining their buying power to purchase goods or services together and get better deals from shops and suppliers. The scheme can also provide many social and environmental benefits. Communities can get together to buy a whole range of goods and services from heating oil to solar panels to food.
Through this scheme, participants will highlight new models of community buying, stimulate enterprise and promote shared learning. Entrants are asked to address one or more of the below challenges:
- Challenge One: Project aimed at creating a platform, tool or vehicle to help individuals to come together and form a community buying group.
- Challenge Two: Project aimed at enabling existing or new community groups to develop their purchasing power by working collectively on behalf of individual consumers.
- Challenge Three: Project aimed at businesses to empower their employees or consumers to group for community buying.
Both BIS and Co-operatives UK have contributed £30,000 to the challenge, meaning there is a total funding pot of £60,000 available. This year there is a £15,000 prize available for the overall winner to go towards making their project a reality. The funding can be used to support training, mentoring and seed funding for stand out projects.
Groups and organisations within the public, voluntary or business sectors in the UK all qualify for the Challenge.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 15 May 2012.
Click here for further details and to access the online application form (opens in new window).
Source: bis.gov.uk/buying, 21/02/12