DFID Community Linking Programme

Tell us your Linking story!

If you are involved in a UK community group that has a link with a group in a developing country, we want to hear your story.

From September – December 2009 we are running a survey to find out how many community groups in the UK are already in touch with a community group in another country, and what activities they do in their link.

If you are currently involved in a link, take part in the survey.

What is the DFID Community Linking Programme?

The DFID Community Linking Programme (DCLP) is an exciting new programme that will increase development awareness by supporting links between community groups in the UK and developing countries.

The programme aims to increase awareness, knowledge and understanding of global issues in the UK through personal involvement in a link with a developing country, and to support learning and activities which will benefit both partners. It will also encourage greater community cohesion in the UK by providing opportunities for networking and learning together about development issues.

The programme will support both new and existing links through a range of grants and learning opportunities available from 2010. DFID is providing £3 million for this programme over 3 years.

What is a link?

A link might be a charitable project with a community in a developing country, an exchange programme or visits to a particular community, or a wide-reaching community partnership, or something different.

What will happen to the information I give you?

The information we gather through the survey will help shape DCLP and will help ensure that the grants, learning and support elements of the programme offer the best support to a wide range of community groups.

We will use the survey to find good practice examples to showcase to other community groups, to help increase the sustainability and quality of international links.

The survey will be made available to the public and to the UK government in spring 2010.

What if my link isn’t focussed on development?

If you are in touch with a community group in a developing county we’d still like to hear from you. We want to engage as wide a range of groups as possible, so please tell us about your link.

How can I find out more about grants, and learning and support?

We are interested in finding out about links with a wide range of countries. However, DCLP will focus on links with the world's poorest countries and so we will not be able to support links with all developing or middle income countries.

When you complete the survey you will have opportunity to join our mailing list, which will mean that you will be amongst the first to know about grant and learning and support opportunities when they become available in spring 2010.

DCLP particularly supports activity in the UK. We are interested in finding out about links with a wide range of countries.

However, DCLP will focus on links with the world's poorest countries and so we will not be able to support links with all developing or middle income countries.

What if I’m not in a link?

If you are not involved in a link at the moment, but would like us to keep in touch with you click here to join our mailing list.

More information about finding a community group to link with will be available in 2010.

Who manages DCLP?

DCLP is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and is delivered by a consortium of British Council, the Institute for Community Cohesion (iCoCo), the Inter Faith Network for the UK (IFN) and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).