Introduction

Barlow Moor Community Association (BMCA) is a long‑established community development organisation based on the Merseybank Estate in the Chorlton Park ward of Manchester. Acting as a hub for local life, BMCA delivers a wide range of services including children and young people’s provision, adult health and wellbeing support, education and training, employment and benefits advice, older people’s services, and a community charity shop. With several core grants approaching their end, BMCA wanted to strengthen income diversification to secure long‑term sustainability while maintaining their strong community focus.

Central Support Offer – Identifying the Need

At the time of receiving Youth Investment Fund (YIF) support, BMCA remained heavily reliant on grant income, with limited diversification through room hire and their charity shop. While the CEO had begun undertaking consultancy work and identified further opportunities — including social investment, sponsorship and expanding enterprise activity — the organisation faced capacity and systems constraints.

The impending end of several multi‑year grants created urgency, alongside wider sector pressures which later intensified following a traumatic incident on the estate that deeply affected staff and residents.

Support Provided

Through the YIF Central Support Offer, BMCA received income‑generation consultancy delivered by Participate Projects.

Participate Projects works with charities and community organisations to strengthen income generation, governance and strategic planning. Their participatory approach supports organisations to build internal confidence and capability, clarify purpose, and develop sustainable, mission‑aligned income models rooted in community assets.

Support began with a Best Hopes board‑level visioning session, which surfaced both BMCA’s strong community assets and the practical constraints facing the organisation. This highlighted BMCA’s exceptional partnership leadership — including its role in establishing Manchester’s first local Cost of Living Partnership — alongside the need to carefully sequence income‑generation activity given staff capacity and emotional pressures.

The support evolved flexibly in response to changing circumstances:

Income Generation Visioning (August 2024):
 Development of priority income ideas, including consultancy, social enterprise activity and social investment scenarios, alongside a clear action plan.

Crisis Response and Restructuring (Winter 2024/25):
 When a larger‑than‑expected deficit emerged, the support pivoted to short‑term crisis management, including cost‑cutting analysis, funding applications and difficult decisions around staffing.

Feasibility Assessment (Spring 2025):
 Following the closure of BMCA’s nursery, consultancy focused on exploring sustainable uses for the space, including detailed assessment of a Family Hub model offering potential income through commissioning, co‑location rental and partnership delivery.

The Result and Impact

The support enabled BMCA to stabilise during a period of crisis while maintaining a clear focus on future sustainability. Leadership is now equipped with a strategic income‑generation framework that builds on BMCA’s strengths in youth work, partnership delivery and deep community trust.

Additional Impacts

Key outcomes include:

  • Improved organisational resilience through informed cost‑reduction decisions
  • Clear pathways for public‑sector commissioning and Family Hub delivery
  • Identification of income opportunities through youth services, co‑location and workspace rental
  • Strengthened strategic and financial planning capability at senior leadership level

What They Said

“Ewan’s support has been invaluable in helping us shift our focus from day‑to‑day challenges to the broader possibilities and opportunities ahead for BMCA. His guidance has enabled us to think more strategically about the future and the potential impact we can make.”
 Toni / Becky, Co‑CEOs, Barlow Moor Community Association

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