Soho First began life as Soho Community First a small grants panel set up as part of a national programme managed by the Community Development Foundation. The panel included representatives from local groups and organisations such as Neighbourhood Forums and residents’ associations, local faith groups, and its purpose was to look at applications to this small grant scheme. The panel also worked with residents to develop a Community First Plan to identify the priorities for funding. A total of 42 grants were awarded totaling over £80,000. 

Through Community First, the panel became aware of the many individuals, groups and organisations active in Soho Ward. Well before the end of the four-year programme the panel started to discuss the legacy and that is when the idea of setting up a Community Development Trust came about. 

With the end of Community First the fledgling CDT successfully applied to the First Steps programme, again with support from the Community Development Foundation. We were required to develop a vision statement and an action plan in consultation with residents and through these conversations identified three priorities or themes for the area – Environment, Bringing People Together and Livelihoods and the Local Economy. 

The CDT was registered by the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in June 2017 and in July of that year funding was approved from Birmingham City Council’s Local Innovation Fund to develop work around each of the three themes or priorities.