One Oldham Fund Evaluation
The Context
Oldham Council established the One Oldham Fund to support community innovation, social action and the long-term sustainability of the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector. Initially funded through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF), the programme invested over £1 million into local organisations and community groups. Human Engine was commissioned to evaluate both the impact of the funded projects and the effectiveness of the One Oldham Fund as a model for administering and delivering grant funding across the borough.
Our Approach
We undertook a mixed-method evaluation to assess the impact, effectiveness and value for money of the One Oldham Fund and the projects it supported.
Stakeholder Engagement: Conducted interviews and discussions with project leads, funding partners and council officers to understand programme delivery, outcomes and lessons learned.
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysed over 500 qualitative data points and approximately 12,000 quantitative records to evaluate programme reach, impact and performance.
Workshops and Collaboration: Facilitated workshops with funded organisations and council stakeholders to explore strengths, challenges, future opportunities and potential delivery models.
Strategic Assessment: Assessed the extent to which the Fund aligned with the Council's strategic priorities, investment principles and wider ambitions for the VCFSE sector.
Value for Money Evaluation: Reviewed the social, economic and community benefits delivered through the programme to assess overall return on investment.
Outputs and Outcomes
The evaluation demonstrated the significant contribution of the One Oldham Fund to communities across the borough and provided a framework for future investment decisions.
Key outcomes included:
Comprehensive Impact Evaluation: Produced a detailed evaluation report assessing programme delivery, outcomes, value for money and alignment with strategic priorities.
Community Reach and Engagement: Identified over 20,000 interactions through funded projects, demonstrating significant community engagement and participation.
Community Asset Improvements: Funding contributed to the refurbishment or improvement of 23 community buildings and six green spaces across Oldham.
Employment and Volunteering Outcomes: Supported the creation of employment, qualifications and volunteering opportunities within local communities.
Future Funding Recommendations: Developed a five-point conclusion and nine-point recommendation framework to inform future investment approaches and strengthen long-term sustainability.
Evidence Base for Future Investment: Provided Oldham Council with a robust evidence base to support future funding decisions, partnership working and community investment programmes.
About Us
Human Engine is a leading management consultancy with specialisms in strategy, transformation, digital, commercial, procurement and projects.
Founded in 2018, we have partnered with more than 50 local authorities, central government, NHS organisations and national charities to help transform their strategies, operations and cultures.
Our mission is to help individuals and organisations to do the best work of their lives. We do this by blending first-hand, practical experience of the problems we help our clients solve with award-winning consulting expertise and an approach based on trust, collaboration and partnership.