Modern.gov Breadcrumb
- Decision details
Modern.gov Content
Decision details
Enabling the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Grant
Decision Maker: Chief Executive
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
•This decision follows from the Cabinet
decision taken on 1st September 2020 (ModernGov - bristol.gov.uk
Item 16), which approved the extension of the existing grant
funding arrangement with Voscur to 31st March 2022; approved
inviting suitable applicants to apply for Enabling the VCSE grant
funding from 1st April 2022 and authorised the Chief Executive in
consultation with the Cabinet Member -Communities to take all steps
required to enter into a grant agreement with the successful
applicants.
•Bristol City Council has a long history of supporting its
voluntary and community organisations through grant funding
infrastructure support to enable them to function well and thrive.
The Enabling the VCSE Grant is the latest iteration of this
support.
•It was originally intended to run 1st October 2020-30th Sept
2024, having been approved by Cabinet in December 2019. This
timetable was not able to be delivered due to the Covid-19
emergency.
•The Grant commissioning exercise was re-started 7th June 2021
with a closing date of 4th October 2021. This Grant was approved to
run for four years, from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2026, a total
grant of £1,266,432 (£316,608 per year)
•The grant approach set out 5 Priorities the council wanted to
support, underpinned by 5 community-building principles. These
emphasised Equity, Asset-based and Place-base approaches and strong
delivery to groups in neighbourhoods experiencing the greatest
inequality and to equalities-led groups. The approach also
emphasised that proposals needed to demonstrate how they would
deliver long-term capacity building, sustainability and enable the
sector to be effective leaders in the city through strategic and
operational collaboration with other organisations
supporting.
Decision:
a) To approve £1,266,432 Enabling the
VCSE Grant to Voscur and Black South West Network to provide
infrastructure support Bristol’s community and voluntary
groups, and to deliver work to respond to the recommendations of
the research report Designing a New Social Reality (February 2021)
and implement the VCSE Strategic Action Plan from 1st April 2022 to
the 31st March 2026.
b) To distribute the available funding to both organisations as
follows:
•Voscur: £236,608 per year 1st April 2022 to 31st March
2026
•Black South West Network: £80,000 per year 1st April
2022 to 31st March 2026
Alternative options considered:
Option 1 - •The Voscur application set
out a work programme delivering to VCSE groups across the city,
requesting the full grant available: £316,608 per annum
Option 2 - •The Black South West Network application set out a
work programme focused on a racial justice approach and on delivery
to black-and-minoritised-community-led VCSE groups. They requested
per annum £166,901 in 22/23 and £172,187 in
23/24.
Option 3 -
Publication date: 12/01/2022
Date of decision: 17/12/2021