Issue - meetings

This report seeks agreement for the approach to the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund – Local Grants funding stream 2019-2020.

RESOLVED:

       i.          That Cabinet agreed to the continuation of the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund – Local Grants funding for 2019 – 2020.

      ii.          That Cabinet agreed the approach set out in the Local Grants Programme which consists of:

a) aligning the priorities of the Local Grants Programme to the priorities of the Borough Plan for 2019-2023.

b) retaining the current geographical priority areas.

c) agreeing that the term of grant funding will be one year.

d) maintaining the maximum grant available at £25k per year, per project.

e) maintaining the grant condition that all staff funded through the Local Grants Programme are paid the London Living Wage.

Councillor Tom Miller, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Engagement, introduced the report thanking Councillor Krupesh Hirani, who had previously held responsibility for this area, for his hard work in developing the approach to the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund.

Councillor Miller stated that the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund (VSIF) – Local Grants Programme was created in 2012 from the previous Main Programme Grant and Advice budgets and was the result of extensive public consultation with voluntary sector organisations.

The budget for 2019/20 is £232k as presented at the 15 April 2019 Cabinet. It is proposed that the term of grant funding is 1 year a maximum grant available of £25k per project. It is recommended that this maximum amount is maintained. If this amount is increased the number of organisations who are able to access the funding will be decreased. If the amount is reduced the ability of organisations to deliver meaningful projects will be decreased. The average grant given out to date for this fund was £21,525 per funded group.

RESOLVED:

      i.        That Cabinet agreed to the continuation of the Voluntary Sector Initiative Fund – Local Grants funding for 2019 – 2020.

    ii.        That Cabinet agreed the approach set out in the Local Grants Programme which consists of:

a) aligning the priorities of the Local Grants Programme to the priorities of the Borough Plan for 2019-2023.

b) retaining the current geographical priority areas.

c) agreeing that the term of grant funding will be one year.

d) maintaining the maximum grant available at £25k per year, per project.

e) maintaining the grant condition that all staff funded through the Local Grants Programme are paid the London Living Wage.