3 Steps and One Giant Leap for Barking and Dagenham
The GROW Fund successfully reached people that other funders and social investors don’t often reach. Find out how that happened and the steps others can take to do it too.
Recognition for our First Social Investment
We are delighted that our investment in The Boathouse CIC has been shortlisted for the Social Investment Deal of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards 2024. The £75,000 investment is notable for many reasons, not least because it forms part of the GROW Fund investment portfolio, which is the first 100% community-led investment […]
New Social Infrastructure Contract
We are thrilled to share that BD_Collective, via Barking & Dagenham Giving, has secured the Council’s social infrastructure contract! Through the collective efforts of social sector partners we secured the social infrastructure contract for three years. This accomplishment enables Barking and Dagenham’s voluntary, community, social enterprise (VCSE) and faith sectors to continue to strengthen community support […]
BD Giving Notes #57 – Through the Looking Glass
Going forwards, I want to make sure that I am more present in decision-making processes Sophie Miles In our latest BDG Note, Programme Officer Sophie Miles looks back on her Deep Democracy training and how she is utilising it in her work. I went into the training with a bit of an understanding about facilitation and Deep […]
A rich history and equally bright future for the Boathouse
From grant funding to social investment For Carole Pluckrose, it all started at a building site. Recently the team from BD Giving stood at the entrance of The Boathouse with Carole as her eyes swept across its exposed brick walls and wooden floors: “I didn’t choose this building. This building chose me.” The Boathouse Barking […]
Our first community investment
Participatory social investment We are very excited to announce our first investment in the borough, with a £75,000 investment into The Boathouse Studios. The investment will accelerate the growth of the business, through upgrading facilities and building increased brand recognition. We want to encourage participatory social investment in the borough. Our aim is for Barking and […]
Learning from the GROW Fund pilot
A community-led social investment fund for local businesses Dancers taking part in a BDYD event. The GROW Fund is part of the UK’s first community-led social investment fund. It’s the largest sum we’ve ever granted in a single initiative and a completely new model for participatory investment. The GROW Fund pilot launched with £360,000, […]
Give it A Go Fund grantees announced
Give it a Go Fund awards ten initiatives filling a gap in the borough We are excited to announce the ten grantees awarded £2,000.00 each in our first round of the Give it a Go Fund. Selected by our eight decision-makers, a group of residents from the borough, these are the ten people and initiatives […]
Listening to local businesses
Following on from our first session for local businesses at MAKE IT in Barking on 15 January, we held a second one at Powerhouse International Ministries in Dagenham last week. The aim of both sessions was to enable local businesses in the borough to network and build relationships. It was also for us to learn […]
