The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta) will be piloting programmes to test community organisation for the Big Society agenda.

The scheme, called Neighbourhood Challenge, will look to demonstrate how community organisers, when equipped with the right skills, and small, catalytic amounts of money can come up with innovative responses to local priorities, particularly in areas with low levels of social capital.

It will see Nesta work with partners to trial different approaches to community organising and supporting community-led innovation. Ten community organisations from across England will be selected to participate in the 18-month programme. Successful applicants will receive funding to trial an approach to community organising, with practical tools and training to help people set up local campaigns, new community projects and new social enterprises.

From February 2011 to February 2012 the participating organisations will receive financial and in-kind support to run their programmes in the neighbourhoods they have selected. The precise level of support will depend on the approach taken, but as a guide Nesta expects to provide each area with at least £150,000 worth of support.

Nesta will also help establish local social challenge prizes to incentivise and reward community-led action. 

The Challenge will be rigorously evaluated to inform the government’s thinking about how to make the Big Society work for all communities in the UK.

To register interest, or for more information, go to www.nesta.org.uk/neighbourhood_challenge.  The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is 22nd November at 12 noon.