Engaging with the Towns Fund: a guide for organisations
The ambitious visions set out in Town Investment Plans (TIPs) and the range of exciting projects being progressed as part of Town Deals are testament to the power of partnerships.
It has been inspiring to see how Towns have harnessed the expertise, energy and enthusiasm of a wide range of organisations from across the public, private and voluntary sectors, whether through representation on Town Deal Boards, match funding for schemes, or in seeking advice.
Having seen these partnerships in action across the 101 Towns, relationships and networks forged through the TIP development process will continue to have a vital role through project delivery and beyond. As the Towns Fund Delivery Partner, we will continue to play our part in this process by encouraging organisations to engage with Towns directly and where appropriate, facilitating links with External Partners .
Private sector – getting involved
The role of the private sector is central to the Towns Fund programme. Local businesses are represented on Town Deal Boards, with a private sector Chair helping to provide a strong business perspective, while privately-funded match funding for projects is often critical to their viability.
Engagement with the private sector has been a key requirement in the development of TIPs. Towns are looking to create partnerships which will continue delivering growth into the future, so the need to engage with businesses does not stop when Towns receive their Town Deal Offer and projects have been selected. Long-term private sector relationships will be key to the development of projects’ Business Cases and ultimately the successful delivery of projects, as well as their role in identifying future investment opportunities.
How to get involved:
Contact local Town Deal Boards - a list of the Towns can be found here.
Invest and support projects in Towns – TIPs are published on their websites or via links from our Towns page
External Partners
In addition to the support available from the Towns Fund Delivery Partner, External Partners drawn from the public or not-for-profit sectors can offer advice and assistance within their area of expertise.
A list of External Partners is available here. Some External Partners have contributed blogs, webinars and workshops to the programme, and these can be found with other resources in the support section of our website.
If you represent an organisation consistent with the role of an External Partner and could offer support to Towns, please email [email protected] with a summary of your offer.
So, whether you are a local business looking to play a part in the future of your Town, a commercial business offering services nationally or an organisation with the potential to become an External Partner, the Towns Fund programme offers opportunities to unlock value to 101 Towns.