Council finds cash to boost community fund

Bradford Council and its partners in the business and voluntary sectors have set up the new fund – the Bradford District Community Fund – to help connect businesses and individual residents with local community groups.

As a start, the council – with the Charity Commission – has managed to release more than £200,000 from previously dormant education trust funds in order to establish a sustainable endowment fund.

This year, the fund will release £15,000 to groups working with children and young people.

The council says it hopes that in the future businesses and individuals will donate to the fund and such sums may be matched by government grants.

Independent panels of local people will decide who receives the £1,500 grants.

Donors will also be encouraged to give to a general fund that will concentrate on different priorities throughout the following years.

Alternatively, people can also choose to donate to specific local causes.

The fund’s opening is due to be publicised during Bradford Council’s Active Citizens 2011, a year-long district-wide campaign run by the council and its partners to celebrate the efforts of people who give up their time to improve Bradford.

Bradford Council’s deputy leader Councillor Imran Hussain said: “We are delighted to have been able to kick start this important new fund.”

“This local independent fund will give businesses and individuals the opportunity to invest in our district’s most valuable asset: our local people.

“In these tough economic times we need to bring about the maximum positive benefit with very limited resources.

“There are lots of fantastic examples where a small amount of money given to the right community group has made a huge difference.”