Funding Creativity: Millie’s Insights on The Role of Voluntary and Grassroots Arts Organisations

Voluntary and Grassroots organisations are right at the forefront when it comes to empowering local communities. When it comes to the arts especially, they play a crucial role in ensuring that creativity remains accessible to all. In today’s blog we dive deep into all things voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations , plus in our community spotlight we feature Tower Hamlets VCS development officer, Millie Downs, who shares insights on how organisations like these can get more support.

VCS landscape in the UK

In 2023, it was reported that there were over 150,000 voluntary organisations across the UK. The voluntary and community sector (VCS) is made up of a wide range of organisations,

many of which are making a difference in communities, even in the arts!

While there isn’t a one-sized fits all definition for VCS organisations, they usually have some of these things in common:

• They’re not for profit: meaning they re-invest any surplus back into the organisation to further the positive impact they make in the community.

• They’re independent from government: they operate independently, managing their own affairs and decisions without government influence, usually with a volunteer management committee 

• Volunteer involvement: they often rely on volunteers to carry out their work. These can be members of the local community, corporate volunteers etc.

VCS organisation examples

VCS organisations in the UK include those such as:

• Charities

• Community interest companies (CICs) (like Alpha Artistry World CIC)

• Voluntary organisations 

• Grassroots community groups 

Benefits of voluntary and grassroots arts organisations

In addition to bringing people together through creativity, grassroots arts organisations aim to address broader issues faced by local communities, such as combating social isolation and improving access to resources. As a result, these organisations offer a range of benefits to the communities they serve. For example, they can help:

• Boost mental wellbeing through creative expression

• Encourage socialising and build connections beyond people's usual circles

• Preserve cultural heritage

• Foster connections between different generations

• Create safe spaces for creative exploration

Meet Senior VCS Development Officer, Millie Downes

Meet Millie Downes, Senior VCS Development Officer helping grassroots organisations access the tools and networks they need to hit the ground running. With a strong passion for asset-based community development, Millie leads efforts in securing external funding and building capacity for voluntary & community organisations in the local borough. Here are some valuable insights she shared with us:

The most common challenges VCS organisations face

I work with a wide range of VCS organisations, including a select number of arts organisations within the sector, and I think they’re great for giving people safe, inclusive spaces to explore creativity.

Some of the biggest challenges I notice are usually around funding—as the funding landscape is changing massively. Nationally, there’s a bigger focus towards smaller organisations, which is fantastic for smaller organisations but it does create a lot of competition for funding. You end up with a higher demand for smaller funding pots. In addition to this, smaller organisations also have a lot less capacity to actually look for those funds, or even know where to start, so I think that can be a barrier.

Ideally, we want an environment where organisations can collaborate rather than compete.

What all grassroots founders should know

There’s a lot of advice I could share with anyone looking to start a grassroots organisation, but one thing I’d really emphasise is the importance of looking at what’s already out there. Take the time to research which organisations are doing similar work, and see what you can learn from them. It’s also crucial to build a solid network before you dive in, so you fully understand the landscape and know what you can personally contribute. Think carefully about the people and communities you'll be working with, and make sure your ideas align with their actual needs—not just what you want to do. More often than not, people have ideas that could add amazing value to what someone else is already doing. So get out there, go for lots of cups of tea (or whatever it is that you drink) and connect with like-minded people.

Getting involved: changing community perspectives

Communities are generally fantastic at rallying around VCS and grassroots organisations, offering immense support. Saying that, it is still challenging for VCS groups to advertise things in the traditional sense (e.g flyers, posters, social media) and reaching community members can be tricky. Thinking about how we can resolve this, I think residents can network more and be more active in their local communities. Using myself as an example, I grew up in Basildon (in Essex). It was my least favourite place—until I actually got involved in the Voluntary and Community Sector and realised there’s so much to get involved in. So yeah, getting outside, seeing what’s on and speaking to people is key! At Tower Hamlets we also have a volunteer centre full, of opportunities.

Tackling the capacity issue

From my personal experience working with so many organisations, experiences can be quite nuanced—there’s no one-size fits all, but one thing I do hear a lot from VCS leaders is that if they could “buy in the capacity” to help them lead their organisation that would help things run smoothly. Delegation (and the capacity to do it effectively) is key. It gives you the freedom to lead and strategise. For instance, in the private sector, there are responsibilities that, at a leadership level, would typically be handled by entire departments. Reaching a point where you can build out that capacity will be a significant advantage. How we get there is something I’m considering all the time, especially with recent cuts to funding. It may be the right time for more volunteers to get involved in some of the fantastic work these organisations are doing.

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Millie Downes is a Senior VCS Development Officer helping grassroots organisations access the tools and networks they need to hit the ground running. Have you got questions for Millie? Get in touch on LinkedIn.