Financing for Society: Local Authority Training Workshop

This workshop for local authority employees will introduce the findings of recent research into a new model of finance for the public sector.

“There are some 400 unitary authorities in the country and we don’t want each one of them having to go and learn this stuff each time. So, once it’s been understood in one area, it can then be shared out.” Richard Lowe, Bristol City Council.

On 1st May, the University of Leeds – in collaboration with Local Partnerships and Abundance Investment – launched a landmark report assessing the suitability of investment-based crowdfunding for the public sector.

Working with six public sector case studies, we found that a major barrier to local authorities capitalising upon new models of finance was under-capacity when trying to acquire the necessary knowledge and expertise to do so.

We would therefore like to invite you to participate in an active local authority training workshop, to be held in Leeds (venue to be confirmed) on Tuesday 18 June, at which you will:

• Hear from the research team and local authority case studies on how investment-based crowdfunding can be used to support public sector project delivery;
• Acquire advice on the legal and regulatory framework of local authority crowdfunding;
• Be introduced to the concept of Community Municipal Bonds, an innovative approach to local authority borrowing co-created by the research team and public sector partners that aims to raise money from the public at rates cheaper in both capital and administrative costs than the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB);
• Acquire also a better understanding of local donation-based crowdfunding, to explore the full range of additional finance options for your local authority; and finally
• Learn about future grant opportunities to pilot the use of investment-based crowdfunding in your region.

This event is free to attend but you must register to confirm your place.