£1.9M fund launched for voluntary and community organisations
Camden Council is launching a new grant support scheme for voluntary and community organisations worth £1.92m over two years (2022/23-2023/24).
The Community Impacts Resilience Fund will offer financial support to local organisations that are struggling financially because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It will also provide backing for the new partnerships and innovative ways of working, which have been developed within the sector in response to the challenges of the pandemic.
Two grants will be available immediately in 21/22 with a total value of £750,000:
The Recovery Fund worth £600,000
Offering a grant of up to £15,000 to support organisations to return to business as usual. Funding can be used to cover day-to-day costs such as staffing, rent and utility bills.
Partnership and Networks Fund worth £150,000
Offering a grant of up to £10,000 to support organisations to continue developing or to establish new partnerships and collaborations within the community. Applications can be made as individual organisations, partnerships or networks and the fund can also be used to cover core costs associated with this work such as staffing, rent and utility bills.
Applications open on November 5th and there will be no minimum grant request requirement.
Applications from organisations working with people who have been disproportionality impacted by the pandemic are particularly welcome.
Our voluntary sector has been essential in the local effort against Covid-19. Their work in our communities – in the face of enormous, unprecedented challenges – cannot be underestimated. But organisations are telling us that the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on their income and, as a result, many are now facing new financial pressures. We want to support Camden’s voluntary and community organisations to build back and flourish. This new pot of money is designed to respond to their request for financial help that is easy to apply for, flexible and can be used for day to day running costs. The fund will also support organisations to build upon the newly formed partnerships, networks, and innovation, which have been developed in response to Covid-19.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown once again that Camden’s community is one that cares and that we come together in even the most difficult of circumstances. We want to recognise this through this fund and give our voluntary sector the backing to continue delivering vital services and support within our communities. I encourage all organisations to make an application to the Community Impacts Resilience Fund. We will also continue to work with the sector on other long-term funding packages.
We welcome this much needed investment into the sector at a time when organisations are facing significant financial challenges in the foreseeable future. Community organisations have played a vital role in supporting people impacted by Covid, particularly those that have been disproportionately affected and we are really pleased to see the focus of these funds on tackling inequality. We are looking forward to working with the Council to develop the funding programme in future years to ensure that it is responsive to local and sector needs.
The Council will be writing to community and volunteer organisations with further details about the fund and how to apply as well as hosting workshops to support organisations to make their applications.
For more information please click here.