What’s Cody Dock?
Cody Dock is a thriving creative and community hub on the River Lea in Newham, East London. Led by the charity Gasworks Dock Partnership (GDP), local people come together to landscape and regenerate this former derelict dock to transform it into an exciting community-led cultural quarter. With community gardens and footpaths, people go to explore the waterways environment and learn more about the area’s heritage.
Before ASCEND got involved
GDP was established in 2011 and for the first 5 years or so it was an entirely voluntary organisation. Before working with A5cend, GDP had applied twice to the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) for a Reaching Communities grant. Their proposals met the criteria and BIG liked what they were doing, but the grant applications were turned down because GDP lacked the necessary infrastructure.
Their need
GDP found itself in a ‘chicken-and-egg’ situation. It’s work had been extremely well-received and had even achieved national recognition. But GDP lacked sustainable income to support the volunteers who were doing all of the work. Despite handling around 900 volunteers per year, GDP had no office, no paid staff and no formal systems in place. Yet without staff and a proper infrastructure, it was struggling to secure larger-scale funding.
GDP identified that in order to become sustainable it would need a project manager, an engagement team, an administration team, an office and some equipment. But convincing BIG that it was able to do this was tricky.
Health-check
Organisational strength-review
Fundraising strategy
Funding bids revenue and core
Large scale capital fundraising planning
Evaluation
How A5CEND helped
After writing a draft application in-house, GDP turned to A5cend to help refine it. They also helped GDP to access BIG’s Building Capabilities grant to help build the organisation’s capacity. We carried out an Organisational Strength Review, which looked at GDP’s development needs around:
We then used this to help GDP structure the Capital Build element of its Reaching Communities bid and to lever in extra funding through the Building Capabilities grant to strengthen its infrastructure.
The impact
With A5cend’s help, GDP was finally successful in its application for a Reaching Communities grant and was awarded funding for a 3-year project. The project has helped to fund a team of paid staff, an office, volunteer facilities and new processes and systems to ensure the smooth running of the charity. This in turn has helped GDP to regenerate the public areas at Cody Dock, construct new creative studios, moorings and visitor facilities that will in time enable GDP to generate a sustainable income, and engage thousands of people in the shared experience of transforming their area.
For more information on Gasworks Dock Partnership and Cody Dock, visit their website:
Company No: 11535380
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