Decision Maker: Mayor and Cabinet

Outcome: For Determination

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: July 9, 2025

Purpose:

Content: It was MOVED, SECONDED and RESOLVED to agree the following proposals and criteria for the Main Grants Programme 2026-29:   a)    To note that Advice Services are removed from the main grants programme and the provision is directly commissioned with proposals to return to Mayor and cabinet on this as soon as practicable. b)    To approve the allocation of £900,000 of funding p.a.for Neighbourhood-focused services across the four neighbourhoods, offering: •       Signposting to VCS services •       Capacity building for local organisations and residents •       Fundraising support •       Keyworkers to support linking in health to the wider VCS •       Small grants to support the capacity of local organisations. c)    To approve funding for the following priorities at borough-wide level as follows: •       Infrastructure and Capacity Building for Black-led organisations •       Digital Inclusion support •       Equalities-based capacity building and infrastructure, primarily for organisations supporting: •       Adults with Learning Disabilities •       LGBTQ+ residents •       Sanctuary Seekers •       Capacity building for arts and sports organisations d)    To approve funding to provide coordination and on-going service delivery to support the transition to the new approach and provide a platform for a range of capacity building activities. e) To note that the Council recognises that the move from funding frontline service delivery to Neighbourhood and Boroughwide infrastructure is significant and that the proposed benefits of this model would be carefully reviewed and assessed.  Equally, the Council recognises that the impact of the move would place significant pressures on our long-standing frontline organisations. The Council wants to ensure that the transition period during this programme could work to create the strong foundations for infrastructure moving forward while ensuring that our front-line services are offered support to become resilient in the long-term. f)  To approve proposal to ring-fence approximately 10-15% of its Main Grants Funding (once the Advice Service allocation is removed), to support some of our existing front-line services through Transition Grants that would run 2026-2029 be approved. Eligibility for these grants will be restricted to organisations who have been Main Grants funded throughout the period of the current programme, i.e. April 2022-March 2026.  Applicants could bid for funding up to the value of their existing grants, however the Council will encourage applicants to consider requesting less than their current amount to enable us to support more of our grant-funded organisations. g) To note that as is common practice for all Main Grants funded programmes, monitoring of this new model will be undertaken on a quarterly basis based on performance and agreed targets. To agree to a 2-year review of the overall programme to assess the effectiveness of the model. h) To note that the Stronger Communities Partnership Board was re-launched in autumn of 2024 as the key strategic board overseeing work with the voluntary and community sector. To agree that a focus area for the board is the new approach of infrastructure, and the support for our frontline services during this transition period. To adopt a working group of the board, represented by organisations in receipt of Transition Grants, as well as those organisations affected by the change in the Main Grants Model.  This working group can help continuous co-development of the way the community infrastructure is being rolled out in the Neighbourhoods and Borough-wide, as well as feed into the 2-year review.