Board and strategy

The strategy to encourage co-operation among co-operatives

Each year The Co-operative Fund Board announces its key funding priorities as part of a three-year rolling programe. The funding of projects will support the following strategy:

Funding stream 1 – Start up

Provision of new start and seedcorn funding of co-operative ventures at a local level. This includes the roll-out of working models after the pilot phase. Researching innovative ideas which provide co-operative, mutual or social enterprise solutions that are replicable and of national significance.

Funding stream 2 – Co-operative solutions

Support for those enterprises that can demonstrate links between their operations and those of The Co-operative Group and its family of businesses – developing support services as well as potential customers, suppliers or complementary services.

Funding stream 3 – Promotion of co-operation

Direct promotion of The Co-operative model of business.

Funding stream 4 – Co-operative support structures

Demonstrate The Co-operative Group's support for co-operative support structures, primarily co-operative development bodies (CDBs), co‑operative and mutual councils (CMCs) and regional co-operative councils (RCCs). Includes support for special initiatives run by co‑operative bodies.

Projects in this funding stream have a guide limit of £12,500.

The Board are:

Co-operative Group Representatives:

Kathryn Smith – Director
Russell Porteous – Director
Sarah Lees – Campaigns Managers, Community and Campaigns
Joan Keysell – Regional Secretary, Northern Region

Regional Representatives:

David Evans – Central & Eastern
Richard Wood – South East
Richard Rouse – South West
Ray Henderson – North Eastern & Cumbrian
Roger Berry – Wales & Borders
Graham Southall – Northern
Erskine Holmes – Northern Ireland
Stuart Ramsey – Scottish

Officers:

Caroline Wood – Secretary
Angela Davies – Grant Development Co-ordinator

The Co-operative Fund management group

The managment group makes sure that the strategies and policies determined by The Co‑operative Fund Board are put into practice and run efficiently. The management group are:

Chris Smith – Head of Community & Campaigns
Sarah Lees – Campaigns Manager, Community & Campaigns
Angela Davies – Grants Development Co-ordinator
a local regional representaive

Further information

The National Values & Principles Committee and The Co-operative Group Board have approved a set of social goals for The Co-operative Group that will be promoted through all of its future community and campaigning initiatives. The themes that have been agreed are Climate Change, Social Inclusion, Tackling Crime, Food Integrity and Modern Co-operation. The Co-operative Fund Board would welcome applications that seek to address these issues.

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