Area Profiles for Local Organisations (UK)
When preparing a grant application for a town, city or county council one often needs local information to make good estimates of cost and possible impact.
That's of course because most projects are remarkably similar to a standard business plan for a small (or even large) business: where are the clients, what do they need and can you serve them without loss (meaning, for example, at a cost no greater than grant and volunteer resources available)?
One key difference is that small local organisations rely much more heavily on social networks - both from a delivery but also impact point of view. Hence this lunchtime seminar @ the Young Foundation might be of interest:
"Jeremy Hawkins from the Centre for Collaborative Excellence (CCE) will be giving a seminar about social network analysis. This is a research methodology which has been successfully used in a number of UK public sector projects to support improvements in collaboration and partnership working within and between public agencies. The Young Foundation’s Neighbourhoods and Local Innovations team has been working with CCE to develop innovative social network mapping projects in neighbourhoods."
For more information on Understanding Social Networks in Neighbourbourhoods
The seminar will take place Wednesday 9th May, 12.30pm in the Michael Young Room
- See the full Young Foundation calendar
Social networks are of course not everything - So where's the Business Link equivalent for understanding some of those tricky numbers affecting a local area? Well, the audit commission has an interesting tool called Area Profiles which can be found here: http://areaprofiles.audit-commission.gov.uk
- It promises to "provide a rich picture of the quality of life and public services in your local area."
One talk, one tool - and you're that step closer to completing your grant application. Best of luck.
