Council announces new crowdfunding programme to support Camden’s high streets
Camden Council is launching an exciting new crowdfunding initiative to help make Camden’s high streets even more inclusive, sustainable and successful.
Camden Future High Streets Crowdfund is an initiative by Camden Council, in partnership with civic crowdfunding platform Spacehive, that will fund the delivery of innovative, forward thinking projects that support the re-imagining of our high streets and recovery for a sustainable future.
Camden Council has allocated up to £360,000 to the crowdfund, with up to £35,000 per project (covering maximum 50% of project costs) available to help selected successful projects who manage to get wider support.
The Council is seeking proposals from local groups and organisations that will benefit Camden's high streets, businesses and local residents. Suitable projects will have the opportunity to raise money by creating a campaign on the Spacehive platform, where anyone with an interest can pledge to fund a certain amount of money towards the campaign if it is successful.
The Council will also make pledges to certain projects. To receive a potential pledge from the Council, projects need to meet a set of criteria and demonstrate how they support Camden Future High Streets’ vision and objectives, as set out in the High Streets Prospectus, which is launched alongside the fund.
Camden’s high streets play a crucial role in community life, but have been facing a range of challenges which have been compounded by the impact of the pandemic. Local people, organisations and businesses working together are best placed to respond to these challenges and create future opportunities in their local areas. We are excited to have partnered with Spacehive and ring-fenced this significant council funding to support innovative projects led by the community.
I’m calling on companies and organisations that also care about Camden and its high streets to join us by offering support to projects, whether funding or in-kind support, so we can increase the number of successful locally-led campaigns and projects.
Supporting residents, businesses and groups to take forward action to support the recovery of their local high streets - is incredibly inspiring. Spacehive is proud to work in partnership with Camden Council and we are ready to support the ambitious change people want to make happen in their local area.
Camden Council and Spacehive will hold a virtual launch event on 20 September. To find out more and register, visit spacehive.com/movement/camden/news
Camden Future High Streets Crowdfund is linked to a programme of recovery and renewal work across the council, which aims to bring people together to create a fair and sustainable Camden for everyone.