Up to seven-year funding for local voluntary groups
Camden Council has announced a list of 23 local voluntary sector groups who will receive up to seven years of funding to address the top resident needs across the borough. £2 million per annum has been allocated, initially for the first four years, towards this initiative.
“This is probably the longest, most secure funding to be given to local voluntary groups by any council in the UK.
“This follows a year-long consultation process with local voluntary groups and a six-month competitive process. To succeed, organisations had to show us how they would produce results to address the top resident needs, as identified by government data and their own local expertise.”
Neighbourhood Strategic Partners will address the varying needs of the different parts of the borough where they are based.
Equalities Strategic Partners will work across the borough to support black and minority ethnic and refugee communities, people with disabilities, women, and lesbian, gay & bisexual communities – all of whom are not explicitly supported by other council programmes.
All Strategic Partners will have discretion about how they spend the funding they receive to achieve results. For equalities groups this is the first time they will be able to put council funding towards ongoing costs, instead of being dependent on short term project funding.
The report relating to the Strategic Partners is available online.
More information on the Strategic Partner Fund can be found on the council’s website.