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Team Hackney Community Grants 2007 / 2008 Small grants programme - £1,000 - £5,000
Questions and Answers |
Here are some questions and answers about the small grants programme to help you apply. You should read the Guidance Notes before making your application as they contain more detailed information.
 Click here for the Guidance Notes
What is the Small Grants Programme?
The small grants programme is one of three funds available under the Team Hackney Community Grants programme. This is an awards scheme that aims to increase the way the borough’s voluntary and community sector (VCS) can improve life for everyone who lives in Hackney.
You can submit your application any time up to 12 October 2007 and your application will be processed within eight to ten weeks.
What is the difference between the Fast Track and Summer and the Small Grants Programme?
The two streams are similar in that the objectives are the same. But Team Hackney Community Grants has been designed to help voluntary and community groups develop and progress from small grants to larger grants commissioned services.
As the Small Grants programme is for £1,000 to £5,000, the application process will be tougher than the Fast Track Summer application process. You should read the Guidance Notes carefully, checking the outcomes wanted under each objective and making sure your application addresses this.
What types of projects will be given grants?
Projects must meet one of the following nine objectives:
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Raising educational attainment
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Examples of projects: Work with parents to help them support their children’s education, particularly for parents for whom English is an additional language. Peer mentoring or out of skills activities that develop skills in self-management, organisation and communication. Interventions to reduce exclusions, particularly amongst Caribbean Heritage pupils.
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Cleaner, greener and safer public spaces
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Examples of projects: Community clean up days or planting days in the Local Park, or estate. Community gardening projects. Litter picking projects or activities to educate people not to drop litter. Projects that work with young people who create graffiti to reduce damage to property. Projects to ‘design out’ fly-tipping and fly-posting e.g. by gating off alleyways used for fly tipping.
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Engage 16 – 25 year olds in education, employment and training
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Examples of projects: Engaging with socially excluded young people (including those involved in crime or anti-social behaviour) and supporting them to engage with mainstream agencies that can provide them with advice about further study, employment or training. Mentoring programmes for NEET young people or those at risk of leaving school without a clear plan to continue learning. Activities in partnership with schools to give young people the support they need to continue in learning and prevent them from falling into the NEET group.
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Tackling domestic violence
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Examples of projects: Peer support networks for victims of domestic violence. Activities at community events to raise awareness of domestic violence, particularly in communities in which it is hidden or taboo. Confidential support for people who have a family or friend suffering domestic violence and don’t know what to do.
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Supporting older people over 50 to live independently
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Examples of projects: Healthy lifestyle programmes e.g. walking groups, low impact exercise classes (by instructors with appropriate qualifications in exercise and fitness), appropriate sports, dancing, ‘exercise at home’ projects, healthy eating projects. Recruitment of more over 50s to existing appropriate healthy living activities/classes. Support and advocacy for unpaid carers of older people. Volunteer home visiting projects. Projects improving knowledge of, and access to, financial support available through direct payments and social security benefits (benefits advice to be delivered by accredited organisations).
Reducing worklessness
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Examples of projects: Grants up to £5,000 will be available for projects that result in beneficiaries accessing mainstream employment programmes (e.g. Jobcentre Plus, Working Links, Team Hackney worklessness intervention) or accredited training programmes (including Skills for Life programmes).
Reducing health inequalities for young people
Who can apply?
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Not-for-profit, voluntary and community groups with a constitution, management committee and bank account (or a group willing to accept the award on the group’s behalf) and which can show that they run according to equal opportunities principles
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Preference is given to small, Hackney-based organizations that do not deliver statutory sector commissioned services whose registered address is in Hackney, are based in and working in Hackney. Priority will be given to Black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, those from the most deprived neighbourhoods and “need to reach” communities such as: young people, tenants & residents, women's groups, people with disabilities, estate based projects, men's groups, refugee community groups, gypsy travellers, lone parents, older people, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual.
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If you have received a grant from the Community investment Programme or the Hackney Council Grants Programme you will be ineligible if you have not fulfilled the requirements of the previous grant – including return of monitoring forms.
We don’t have a bank account, constitution or management committee, can we apply?
If your group does not have this, find another group who does and is willing to accept the award on your behalf. Why not link up with similar organisations in your field. All organisations have strengths and weaknesses but through partnership working you can address the gaps.
Are there any fixed definitions of children and young people?
Definitions vary from project to project. The broad definitions are generally children are primary school and young people are secondary school. If you are tackling Objective 1 – Raising education attainment, the focus is on key Stage 1 (ages 5-7) and Key Stage 3 (ages 11 – 14) and on Caribbean-heritage and Turkish and Kurdish heritage speaking pupils.
What does Fit for Purpose mean?
A fit for purpose voluntary and community sector that is one capable of delivering a quality service which does what it is funded or commissioned to do and is responsive to the needs of the user.
What if my project meets more than one objective?
Projects may address more than one objective but applicants must select a main objective, as this will affect the assessment process.
How much is available?
There is a total of £750,000 available under the Team Hackney Community Grants programme. Out of this, up to £250,000 is available for small grants of £1,000 to £5,000 meeting one of the objectives of the grants programme.
How much can I apply for?
You can apply for between £1,000 and £5,000 for projects meeting one of the objectives of the grants programme.
When can I submit my application and when will I get a decision?
You can submit your application any time up to 12 October 2007 and your application will be processed within eight to ten weeks.
If I have applied to the Summer and Fast Track programme can I apply for a small grant?
Yes, you can make one application to each of the three funding streams.
How can I apply?
You can get an application form and guidance notes for the small grants between £1,000 and £5,000 by clicking on the link below:
Click here for the Application Form and Guidance Notes
If you would like a paper copy of these documents please call Elizabeth Adebola on 020 7923 1962 or email elizabeth@hcvs.org.uk
Is this different to Team Hackney’s commissioning tenders?
Yes, Team Hackney’s Community Grants is funding for small voluntary and community groups. One of its overall aims is to increase voluntary and community sector delivery of public services, BUT preference for this type of funding is given to small, Hackney-based organisations not delivering statutory sector commissioned services.
What is Team Hackney?
Team Hackney is Hackney’s local strategic partnership (LSP), dedicated to improving the quality of life for everyone in the borough. Bringing together people from the public, private, community and voluntary sectors, to develop new ways of working and speed up improvements in service delivery and outcomes.
Team Hackney Community Grants are one way of helping Team Hackney (the Local Strategic Partnership), to meet its core objectives and priorities, which aims to reduce inequality and poverty in Hackney.
Click here for more information from www.teamhackney.org
What is the Community Empowerment Network?
The Community Empowerment Network (CEN), is a network of local VCS organisations and community champions. Team Hackney commissioned the CEN to deliver the Community Investment Programme in 2006/7. The programme aims to empower local people, giving them greater choice and influence over local decision making and a greater role in public service delivery.
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