AYLESBURY COMMUNITY PRIDE CIC – SETTING UP A CIC TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY
How Community Impact Bucks helped a group of individuals set up a CIC to celebrate diversity and drive social change.
About Aylesbury Community Pride
Aylesbury Community Pride CIC was set up with the mission to boost visibility, empathy and celebration of the LGBTQ+ community in Aylesbury. Through the of the Aylesbury Community Pride event held annually in August, they offer support and encourage inclusivity, acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community.
The challenge
Aylesbury Community Pride CIC embarked on its journey in late 2023, driven by a group of passionate individuals who recognised the need to forge connections between the LGBTQ+ community and the wider community.
However, they soon realised the need for guidance in effectively running a community-focused organisation and approached their contacts on LinkedIn for support.
The solution
Community Impact Bucks noticed the Community Interest Companies (CIC) request for policy advice on LinkedIn. The VCSE & Development Officer got in touch with the organisation, informing them of how we help not-for-profit organisations and arranging a one-to-one support session. However, during the pre-session assessment, it became apparent that their initial CIC registration paperwork was incorrect, posing potential barriers to future funding opportunities.
In January 2024, the group received essential tailored support from Community Impact Bucks, covering key aspects of setting up an organisation. This included addressing gaps in its governing document, providing guidance on its policies, identifying funding opportunities, and sharing tips for writing successful funding applications.
Taking on the advice, the group implemented all the recommendations.
The result
Through the amazing enthusiasm and drive from members of the organisation, Aylesbury Community Pride CIC has some notable achievements including:
- Governance changes: Aylesbury Community Pride CIC updated its governing document and recruited additional directors. This increased its eligibility and chances of securing funding.
- Securing grants: Aylesbury Community CIC successfully secured grants of over £22,000 – a combined total from the National Lottery, Fairhive and the Rothschild Foundation. This enabled the organisation to launch the Pride in the Park event in August 2024.
- Policy development: recognising the importance of clear guidelines and procedures, Aylesbury Community Pride CIC produced a set of policies, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all participants.
“We could not have successfully funded our community event without the support of Community Impact Bucks! Frankie, our contact, supported us via email and on calls, showing us how to find funding sources through their easy-to-use funding search. I had no idea the grants that were available to us before using the search. The team also supported us checking our legal documents making sure all was compliant especially since we are a brand-new organisation. If we didn’t make the corrections that Community Impact Bucks spotted, we wouldn’t have been successful.” Alistair Marston, Director
Further information:
- For more information on Aylesbury Community Pride, visit the Community Pride website
- For free one-to-one advice from one of Community Impact Bucks’ VCSE and Development officers, book an appointment by clicking on Funding and Governance support session, and Volunteer Management and Recruitment support session.
- For more information on Running your organisation, go to our Support for Groups webpages for a range of online resources, and to see our range of practical workshops, visit Training and workshops.
