Deadline for applications: 5pm, Monday 17 March 2025.
We are now recruiting for:
Two experienced, committed and enthusiastic Aspire NN Managers to co-lead the work for this partnership. The successful candidates will work together to plan and manage the workload, each taking the lead for a geographical area in North Northamptonshire. Whilst employed by Groundwork Northamptonshire the new managers will work closely with the Aspire NN partners to deliver a range of projects and initiatives. See the job description in full below.
An Impact and Performance Officer who will be overseen by the new co-managers and whose role will include establishing robust and clear systems for tracking performance and impact. The successful candidate will look at need and feedback and build a robust platform for data collection, impact, measuring and feedback. See the job description in full below.
To request more information about these roles including the job description and person specification please email Groundwork Northamptonshire’s Chief Executive Kate Williams: kate.williams@groundwork.org.uk
We also encourage an informal chat about the role before you submit an application – this can be arranged when you request an application pack. All of these jobs are 30 hours a week and include some evening and weekend work where necessary.
Funding Fair for North Northants not-for-profits unveiled as new organisation Aspire NN ‘hits the ground running’.
Securing funding will now be much easier for local not-for-profits thanks to a series of free online and face to face workshops and presentations as part of a Funding Fair set to take place this February and March.
These events are being organised by new partnership organisation Aspire NN – a collaboration of six charities and social enterprises in North Northamptonshire – which has been made possible thanks to recent funding from North Northamptonshire Council.
Kate Williams, Chief Executive of Groundwork Northants, said: ‘We want to hit the ground running with Aspire NN so we can provide the support that our voluntary sector really needs and deserve. Our Funding Fair will provide funding information, advice and support for any local organisations that wish to benefit. This will enable local groups to apply for and secure the funding they need to run activities as well as purchase equipment which benefit the community.”
The Aspire NN Funding Fair will consist of a mix of online events and in-person workshops and presentations at different venues across the north of the county. Advisors from a wide range of funding bodies including the National Lottery, Northamptonshire Community Foundation and Lloyds Bank will be taking part.
Led by Groundwork Northamptonshire the other Aspire NN partners are Serve, Volunteer Action, Northamptonshire ACRE, Support Northants and the North Northants Social Enterprise Network. This is a three-year project designed to support the local voluntary sector.
In addition to organising an annual Funding Fair Aspire NN will provide organisational support such as start up guidance for social enterprises and community groups, help for charities wishing to increase their earnings potential, volunteer recruitment advice and much more.
The 2025 Aspire NN Funding Fair events programme includes:
• Tuesday, 4th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Northamptonshire Community Foundation Funding
• Thursday, 6th February 7pm-8pm: Trustee responsibilities and fundraising
• Tuesday, 11th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Charity Bank
• Thursday, 13th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Different funding and how to apply, led by Lloyds Bank Foundation
• Tuesday, 25th February 1.30pm-3.30pm & 7pm-8pm: Hints and tips on writing a good application, led by Northamptonshire Community Foundation
• Wednesday, 26th February 1.30pm-3.30pm: Rural Community Buildings Loan Fund and NN Sustainable Food network, led by NACRE Village Halls Advice
• Thursday, 27th February 10.30am-12.30pm: Co-op Funding in the Community
This session took place on Thurs 27th February at The Ron Manning Day Centre, Higham Ferrers.
There will be an online session with a date to be confirmed
About these Sessions
Gain practical advice on:
Preparing a fundraising strategy
The importance of having a tailor-made approach depending on what or who you’re going to approach for funds.
A skills checklist to ensure that your strategy will be more effective.
The Do’s and Don’ts of carrying out a fundraising plan.
How to set fundraising targets.
This is the ideal starting point in how to plan your fundraising, especially if you have not done any fundraising in the past, or would like to refresh your approach.
About the Presenter: Jimmy James BSocSc FCMI
Jimmy James is Principal of Minerva Fundraising Consultancy, which he set up in 1997. He has over 20 years experience as a successful fundraiser working with charities and not-for-profit organisations. Jimmy James is a Trustee of Serve.
He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and holds its Diploma in Fundraising. In 2004 he became one of the first people in the UK to pass the Certified Fundraising Executive examination with CFRE International. Jimmy has held a number of non-executive directorships in both the public and private sectors and will be providing an insight into how a professional fundraiser plans a strategy to attract funding for capital and revenue projects alike.
This session took place on Tuesday 18th March 2025.
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
Thinking Like a Business – E is for Enterprise: How VCSE organisations can become more entrepreneurial and financially resilient.
Would you like to reduce your dependency on grant funding? Do you have ideas for earning income whilst creating good social or environment impacts?
Whether you are a charity looking to get more business-savvy, an established social enterprise needing tips for growth or a newbie looking for a way to give your social or environmental campaign plans some financial resilience, this workshop is for you!
These sessions will enable local VCSE organisations to identify and make use of the entrepreneurial opportunities that will help them become more resilient and less dependent on traditional grant funding.
The workshops will be delivered both online and in person by Alison Holland, Chair of the North Northants Social Enterprise (NNSE) network and Sarah Damani, NNSE Network Coordinator. They will provide practical tips and activities to support your transition to more sustainable income sources including developing a ‘business plan on a page’ and identifying further resources and access to support.
About the Presenter: Alison Holland
Alison has over 20 years experience running Brightwayz, an award-winning local social enterprise which promotes sustainable and active travel. Alison is Chair of the North Northants Social Enterprise network (NNSE) which she founded in 2020 and is a management partner of Aspire NN.
She strongly believes in ‘business for good’ and recognises the need for more community organisations and charities to be supported so they can become more commercially astute and resilient.
About the Presenter: Sarah Damani
Sarah runs a franchise for Alchemy Virtual Assistants and manages the administration support provided to the North Northants Social Enterprise network/NNSE. She runs the free NNSE one-to-one regular funding advice sessions to support local organisations with their funding applications.
Sarah is also an SFEDI-accredited business advisor with extensive experience in guiding small to medium-sized enterprises across the South East Midlands through the process of identifying, accessing and successfully applying for grant funding. Her proven track record in helping businesses to grow and scale has made her a trusted resource for organisations seeking practical support and insight. . She now runs a franchise for Alchemy Virtual Assistance and manages the administration support provided to the North Northants Social Enterprise network/NNSE. She runs the free NNSE one-to-one regular funding advice sessions to support local organisations with their funding applications.
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
About this Session:
Groundwork UK administer the Tesco Stronger Starts on behalf of Tesco. It’s possibly one of the most accessible funding programmes. The programme fronts up as focussed on Schools, but applications are welcomed from any Not-for-Profit organisation/group, including Schools, Nurseries, Colleges, Clubs & Societies, Charities, Community Groups, Sports Clubs, Social Enterprises, Parish Town and County Councils, Health providers! This session will introduce the Funding programme and take you through making a successful application.
About the Presenter: Sean Silver
Sean is Volunteer Development Manager at Groundwork Northamptonshire, and has been working, supporting and volunteering in the VCSE sector in Northamptonshire for more than 35 years.
This session took place on Thursday 13th March 2025
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
The Implications of Artificial Intelligence for Fundraising
ChatGPT only launched in Nov 22 and now has over 180 million users worldwide – an example of the explosive rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Just think of it, an ‘auto complete’ function, but an ‘auto complete’ function that is capable of passing university-level and professional exams. Very soon, every charity will be using it in areas as diverse as service provision, fundraising and governance. Even if they don’t, the very widespread use of AI in systems that impact their work will. Whether we like it or not, even with concern over the speed of its growth and influence, AI is here to stay and will fundamentally change the charity sector. Sooner than you think.
While larger charities have already begun to embrace this technology, it’s likely the greatest impact is going to be on smaller charities . This session by Jonathan Badger will provide a simple introduction to AI, look at some of the problems and risks associated with it (i.e. ethics and governance), discuss the likely impact it will have on charities now and in the future, and provide questions to ask yourself about how your charity should respond to this extraordinary opportunity.
About the Presenter: Jonathan Badger
Jonathan Badger Consulting offers consultancy based on over 35 years’ direct experience working in fundraising / development / advancement roles across the UK’s NGO, Health, Arts and Higher Education sectors – helping enable transformation for causes as varied as mental health, cancer research, access to education, academic excellence and the environment.
Services offered include fundraising strategy development and implementation (specialism in major/principle gift fundraising), international fundraising, case-for-support development, fundraising review and audit, interim posts, campaign feasibility and development, as well coaching for fundraising teams and volunteer boards.
This session took place on Wednesday 19th March 2025.
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
About This Session
This session is designed to provide valuable insights and practical guidance for voluntary and community sector groups and organisations looking to secure a small grant from their local parish or town council.
About the Presenter: Danny Moody
Danny Moody is the Chief Executive of the Northamptonshire County Association of Local Councils (Northants CALC), a position he has held since 2007. With over two decades of experience in local government, Danny is a seasoned expert in parish and town council administration.
He has been a parish councillor since 2003 and has served in various roles, including committee member and council chair and is a member of various groups and organisations in the village where he lives. His extensive knowledge and practical experience make him a sought-after speaker and trainer, particularly in areas such as leadership, governance, and community engagement.
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
This session will introduce our funding programme and answer any questions. Our grants funding is a rolling process with a 6-week turnaround from application to decision and will be open for applications until early 2026 – all part of our Grow, Cook, Eat programme, supporting people and communities in North Northamptonshire to grow, cook and eat healthily.
Our pot of ‘Seed Funding’ is for community driven projects with a focus on growing, cooking and eating. Applicants are invited to apply for grants of up to £3,000, with all successful applicants being allocated a specialist member of the Groundwork Northamptonshire team to offer advice throughout.
We will also hear from a Grow Cook Eat grant recipient about their project and how the funding and support has assisted them.
Kimberley Lawson is the Operations Director at Groundwork Northamptonshire, a role she has held for 16 years.
With a strong background in youth work and programme management, Kimberley has dedicated her career to creating sustainable communities and supporting individuals. She oversees the Grow Cook Eat project, now in its third year, which focuses on empowering people to engage with healthy, sustainable food practices.
Kimberley’s passion for community development and making a positive impact on people’s lives is at the heart of her work, driving her commitment to fostering lasting change in Northamptonshire.
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
The Clothworkers’ Foundation is a UK-wide funder that offers capital grants to not-for-profits that support communities facing disadvantage and marginalisation.
The funded projects focus on buildings, equipment, vehicles and digital infrastructure.
At this event, you’ll be able to find out more about:
This session took place on Tuesday 11th March 2025
The presentation can be viewed as a PPTX or PDF file.
An update from TNLCF on the Reaching Communities application process and a bit about our new missions.
With Sarah Kent & Matt Cox.
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