Social Value

Connecting Business Ambition with Community Impact

Birmingham’s vibrant voluntary sector is the backbone of our city. A network of thousands of organisations dedicated to building a fairer, healthier, and more inclusive society. At BVSC, we support, represent, and champion these groups, ensuring their local expertise leads the way in creating meaningful Social Value. By placing community impact at the heart of city-wide change, we ensure that every investment made in Birmingham delivers a lasting legacy for its people.

Launch of the West Midlands Nature Investment Hub

We’re delighted to announce that the West Midlands Nature Investment Hub was officially launched by Mayor Richard Parker and Minister for Nature Mary Creagh MP on Thursday 2nd July.

The Hub connects businesses looking to invest in nature with trusted local organisations delivering projects that create benefits for wildlife, climate resilience and local communities. It has been designed to make it easy for organisations to support high-quality nature-based projects and see the positive impact of their investment. There is a great selection of projects live on the Hub, covering a range of nature recovery activities across the West Midlands, including tree planting, river and pond restoration, heathland restoration and species-focused conservation projects.

We are continuing to build a strong pipeline of projects and would encourage you to explore the Hub and share it with businesses, partners and project delivery organisations in your networks who may be interested in getting involved.

If you know an organisation with a nature-based project, we’d love to hear from them. At this stage, we are looking to work with established organisations that can demonstrate at least three years of financial records and a proven track record of delivering nature-based projects.

Do take a look at the live projects on the West Midlands Nature Investment Hub and help us connect more organisations with opportunities to invest in nature and create lasting benefits for the region. For more information contact [email protected]

Further information:

Mayor of the West Midlands calls on businesses to back £150m nature recovery plan

Latest

Launch of the West Midlands Nature Investment Hub

We’re delighted to announce that the West Midlands Nature Investment Hub was officially launched by Mayor Richard Parker and Minister for Nature Mary Creagh MP on Thursday 2nd July. The Hub connects businesses looking to invest in nature with trusted local organisations delivering projects that create benefits for wildlife, climate resilience and local communities.
Have your say in Wave 15 of the VCSE Barometer

The VCSE Barometer is a regular national survey of voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations. It provides up-to-date evidence on the pressures organisations are facing, how the sector is responding, and what support may be needed. Wave 15 asks what is happening now. With a new Prime Minister coming in and national priorities being reshaped, this is a useful moment to build a clearer picture of what organisations are experiencing on the ground.
Youth Climate Action Fund

Applications are now open for the Youth Climate Action Fund! Young people (15-24), through an established organisation, can now bid for funding between £1,000-£2,500 for a project to deliver climate and environment action. The projects designed by young people should focus on one or more of the following themes: air quality, circular economy, climate adaptation and nature. We welcome bids from any organisation across the West Midlands Combined Authority area including Birmingham.
Environmental Leadership Programme

The Wildlife Trusts and Shropshire Wildlife Trusts are looking for participants on their Environmental Leadership Programme! Are you aged 18-25, West Midlands based and passionate about environmental change? Join us on our FREE programme! Across 9 months, you’ll take part in both online and in-person events, equipping you with the skills and knowledge you need to spark positive change in your local area and beyond.

Youth Climate Action Fund

Applications are now open for the Youth Climate Action Fund! Young people (15-24), through an established organisation, can now bid for funding between £1,000-£2,500 for a project to deliver climate and environment action. The projects designed by young people should focus on one or more of the following themes: air quality, circular economy, climate adaptation and nature. We welcome bids from any organisation across the West Midlands Combined Authority area including Birmingham.
Environmental Leadership Programme

The Wildlife Trusts and Shropshire Wildlife Trusts are looking for participants on their Environmental Leadership Programme! Are you aged 18-25, West Midlands based and passionate about environmental change? Join us on our FREE programme! Across 9 months, you’ll take part in both online and in-person events, equipping you with the skills and knowledge you need to spark positive change in your local area and beyond.
One Planet Living® Training – Reduced Rates for VCSOs

ecobirmingham is offering practical training sessions for voluntary, community and social organisations (VCSOs) across Birmingham, supporting teams to embed the One Planet Living® framework into their work – all at a reduced rate. We are proud to have recently been recognised by Bioregional as a One Planet Living® Leader, highlighting our work in delivering the framework at a community level and supporting residents across Birmingham to take meaningful, practical action.
BrumEnergy Centres for Warmth: Reflecting on Two Years of Impact and Looking Ahead

Over the past two years, BrumEnergy’s Centres for Warmth has provided vital, community-based support to residents in Sutton Coldfield, helping people stay warm, safe and financially resilient during a challenging time. Funded by Cadent and NAVCA and delivered through trusted local partners, BVSC, Age Connects West Midlands and ecobirmingham, the programme has been part of a wider national initiative supporting people in vulnerable situations.
Buggies 4 Brum – A new easy way to donate your pre-loved buggies or prams to families in need

Buggies 4 Brum has launched a new easier process for donations of pre-loved or new buggies or prams to give to families in need across Birmingham City. Find out how you can help.
Businesses Support Young Children in Hospital to Reduce Loneliness through Play

Birmingham businesses are supporting young children in hospital to reduce loneliness through play by making activity and playpacks. BPCN (Birmingham PlayCare Network) are working with local businesses to create bespoke activity and playpacks shared with children in Birmingham Children’s Hospital through the NHS Ward Buddies pilot scheme.
Birmingham launches partnership with the Institute of Health Equity to tackle inequalities

Birmingham has marked a significant milestone in its ambition to create a fairer, healthier city, bringing together partners to shape the city’s approach to Health Equity and Inclusion.
Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month – July 2026

BVSC supports the Birmingham Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector to celebrate and raise awareness of South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) which runs from 1 – 31 July this year. The 2026 theme is ‘Unity in Diversity’. This is about celebrating the extraordinary breadth and richness of South Asian communities in the UK and worldwide.
Coming Soon: New Integration & Employment Grant Opportunities for Birmingham’s Third Sector

Birmingham City Council will shortly be launching a new Grant Call for organisations that can deliver ambitious, high-impact support in: ESOL for Integration (Community-Led ESOL), English for Employment, and Employment Support. We are looking for organisations with the vision, expertise, and passion to develop innovative approaches that significantly improve both the language outcomes, integration and economic opportunities of refugees and asylum seekers across Birmingham.
Communities Urge Bold Leadership and Investment to Tackle Racism and Exclusion

A new report outlines growing concerns about the rise in racism, hate incidents and a declining sense of safety across Birmingham’s communities - and sets out a series of recommendations to city leaders for tackling these issues. The report gathers the findings of a Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) Community Cohesion Summit held in February 2026 convened by BVSC and BRIG with support from Birmingham City Council.

Crisis and Resilience Fund

Help for Birmingham households experiencing financial hardship is being developed as part of Birmingham’s Crisis and Resilience Fund (previously known as Household Support Fund/ Hardship Grant Community Fund) programme.
Become a volunteer

Volunteering involves spending time, unpaid, doing something that is of benefit to others or the environment. Find out how you can get involved in volunteering in Birmingham.
The Weather Model

This model uses the weather as a metaphor for different elements of reflective practice.
What we do

BVSC aims to support a vibrant and resilient sector which in turn ensures that people from across the city feel included and engaged and have access to appropriate support from people who understand the issues and challenges they face.
Join BVSC

There are several ways that you can engage with BVSC to stay informed, grow your organisation and connect with others.
Neighbourhood Network Schemes in Birmingham

The aim of Neighbourhood Network Schemes (known as NNS) in Birmingham is to help older adults in Birmingham to lead healthy, happy and independent lives in their own homes and communities.
Funding

Find out how BVSC can help you with fundraising
Compliments, Comments and Complaints Process

At BVSC we strive to provide our customers with the best service possible. We know that some of the best ideas come from people outside of our organisation and we therefore welcome feedback at every level to help us continuously improve what we do. This means that we want to hear from you when things go well, and when things could have gone better.
Quality Standards
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