Do IT Foundation has teamed up with the Common Room project in Leyton, East London to trial a micro grants programme.
The scheme will enable organisations and members of the local community to set up social ventures with the aim that successful projects will be put forward for follow on funding from other sources so they can continue and scale up.
The Common Room team will work with their membership base of local residents to help them identify and design projects that meet the needs of their local area, with the Foundation and Common Room jointly agreeing which ones will be funded. The pilot will kick off in December 2019 and run until April 2020 with the aim of supporting up to 15 projects.
Do IT Foundation’s founder Jamie Ward-Smith said,
‘This is an exciting development where we will work with a local partner to ensure that funded projects are co-designed with local people to ensure they meet the needs of the community.’
Funded projects will be showcased on the Do IT Life platform where they can gain further support and provide inspiration for others potential social entrepreneurs.
The Common Room is a brand new concept in intergenerational thinking. It is somewhere where younger and older people come together in a dynamic space full of inspiration, energy and purpose. It is where human connection, collaboration and the power of “together” thrive. The Common Room enables people to (re)discover their purpose and reach new goals in life, whatever their age.