A new £3m grant programme will encourage British community groups to improve links with communities in the developing world in a bid to improve understanding and tackle global poverty.

The Global Community Links programme, launched by the Department for International Development on Tuesday, will offer training and grants of up to £10,000 to community groups in the UK which already have links to communities around the world, but want to develop the relationship.

The fund, launched by minister for state for international development Gareth Thomas (pictured right), will be available exclusively to not-for-profit groups and will be worth £3m over three years.

The British Council is managing the fund, along with the Institute of Community Cohesion, the Inter Faith Network for the UK and VSO.

Community  groups may start applying for grants immediately on the Dfid website.