Decision details

(i)  Agree the criteria and process for applications to the Community Fund as set out in Appendix One.

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Communities, Culture, and Homes following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Heritage to determine the outcome of Community Fund applications.

1.  The Council is committed to continuing to support community, voluntary and social enterprises and others through grant funding that supports the ambitions and priorities of the Council as laid out in its Corporate Plan and aligned strategies. In July 2021, the Council approved a budget of £500,000 over two years to support community, sport, youth, resident and other organisations to access funding to support the delivery of youth and diversionary activities, as well as environmental changes that may impact on the incidence of anti-social behaviour and provide alternative activities for young people.

2.  The Council is committed to making the process for accessing this temporary fund as streamlined and agile as possible so that more support can be provided to applicants in terms of promotion, advice at the point of application, and oversight of the grants once awarded.

Apply the current Community Chest Grant Process to the Community Fund:  The Community Chest Grant process also operated by the Stronger Communities Team is used to process applications twice yearly, for a much smaller, longer term fund. This option has been considered and is not recommended as it is inconsistent with the application of a larger and temporary fund, with the need to allocate all funds by March 2023.  It is therefore not proposed as the ability of the council to respond would be less agile, whilst reducing the ability of the Team to engage with potential applicants’ pre-application and those awarded grants, post award.