A: Echo is a marketplace without money, where you can buy in the skills and services you need using the Echo currency, instead of pounds and pence. 1 Echo buys you 1 hour of skill or service. Find out more about ‘How Echo Works’.

You can spend your Echoes on hours of skills, services, and expertise you need from the Echo marketplace to help your community project thrive. You may need a photographer, help with graphic design, project management or everything in between. We’ll be on hand to help you connect with the right people.

A: We’ll support you to access as many high-quality skills and services as you can from the Echo network using your Echoes. The cash grant can contribute to any services, materials or expertise you can’t source with your Echoes. We’ll work with you to co-create a spending plan to help you get the most from the overall grant.

A: We ideally want to support projects that are in their early stages. If you have received more than £10,000 for the project prior to this application then do get in touch before applying – stuart@economyofhours.com.

A: Yes, ideally you’ll have a bank account separate to your personal one with at least two signatories. If you don’t have this yet, you can still apply and we can help you with the process of getting set up.

A: Not necessarily. We appreciate that smaller, early-stage projects may not yet have full governance structures in place. If you have them already, that’s a bonus. If you don’t, this is something we can support you with.

A: First and foremost, we are looking for the right projects that will excite and delight the local community and respond to a local need. This could be a standalone project run by an existing organisation or a new project led by an individual, handful of residents or community group.