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Agenda

November 6, 2024 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The Grants Sub-Committee met to consider recommendations for the second round of the VCS Cost of Living Grant Fund 2024. Eleven applications were submitted, requesting a total of £153,190. The committee recommended that six of these be granted, for a total of £80,962.

Cost of Living Grants

The committee considered 11 applications for grants under Priority 2 of the Cost-of-Living Grant Fund 2024 scheme.
These grants are intended to fund the core costs of Wandsworth-based Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations who are facing increased demand and financial pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis. Organisations applying for these grants must provide services which directly benefit residents who are impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, and must demonstrate how the grant will help them to become more financially sustainable in the long term.

Six of the applications were recommended for approval:

  • Chantelle's Community Kitchen, which runs a weekly community kitchen and brunch café in Roehampton, applied for £14,430 to cover their core costs for one year, including food, equipment and transport. > The project provides a much-needed provision in an area of severe deprivation and poor health outcomes, and where there is also a lack of good, healthy food provision, with other local food projects also seeing an increased need due to the cost-of-living. The application was recommended for approval on the basis that they are a relatively new organisation that is providing much needed support in an area with high deprivation. The committee stipulated that the grant must be paid in two instalments and that the applicant works with council officers on implementing a plan to strengthen their organisation.
  • Earlsfield Foodbank applied for £15,000 to cover the salary costs of an operations manager and a strategy manager from March to September 2025. The application was recommended for approval on the basis that the food bank provides a valuable service to residents who are impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. The committee recommended that the food bank considers applying to the National Lottery Community Fund in order to develop a longer-term funding strategy.
  • Living Truth CIC applied for £8,640 to employ two support workers, an admin worker, and a manager to provide home visits to housebound and elderly residents in Battersea Park from March to August 2025. The funding would also allow them to continue providing their existing drop-in service four days a week.
    > The current service is actively engaging with an increasing number of residents with positive results in moving them to a stronger, more sustainable position. The application was recommended for approval on the grounds that their current service is effectively supporting residents, and that they have identified a need to reach out to more vulnerable residents. The committee recommended that the organisation continues to monitor their financial position and build up their reserves.
  • Power2Connect applied for £15,000 to provide digital devices, free data, and training to residents experiencing digital exclusion. > The Power 2 Connect project aims to reach a large volume of residents (500) and be targeted in its approach to ensure those most in need access its support. The application was recommended for approval on the basis that the organisation has a good track record of supporting digital inclusion in the borough and because their project targets those most in need of support.
  • Regenerate applied for £15,000 to continue their ‘Youth and Community’ programme, which provides a safe social space and free hot meals for young people in Putney from January to June 2025.
    > Regenerate are supporting both young people and their families who are impacted by the cost-of-living with this project. The application was recommended for approval on the basis that it provides support to young people and their families who are impacted by the cost of living. It was recommended that the organisation monitors who their cooking and food project is benefitting in order to identify need more precisely.
  • Vineyard 61 Church applied for £12,892 to continue running their Community Hub in Balham from March 2025 to February 2026. The project provides a warm space with food, advice and support, and access to the internet and laptops.
    > The applicant continues to provide a service to vulnerable residents who are being impacted by the continuing Cost-of-Living crisis and whilst they do have a regular cohort, they are planning to develop their activities, local connections and their own capacity, to be able to seek longer-term solutions to support their attendees to be more resilient and independent. The application was recommended for approval on the basis that the project provides a valuable service to vulnerable residents and the organisation is taking steps to increase its capacity to meet local need. The committee recommended that officers provide advice and support to help them to make local connections.

Five of the applications were not recommended for approval:

  • Estate Art CIC applied for £15,000 to continue running their Saturday Health Café and Wednesday Spud Night, in addition to several other activities, on the Alton Estate in Roehampton from December 2024 to June 2025. > The applicant has not clearly evidenced the need for the project and how it directly links with supporting residents who are being impacted by the Cost-of-Living Crisis. Further, the outcomes for those service users are unclear, particularly when the project is primarily focussed on improving health outcomes. This application was not recommended for approval because the applicant did not clearly evidence how their project would support people directly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, and because they were applying for funding to cover staff salaries when there was no evidence that their organisation would be able to continue operating once the funding had ended.
  • Samuel's Charity applied for £10,000 to support a Community Care Coordinator in their ‘At Home’ project, which provides support to seriously and terminally ill children being treated at home. The Coordinator would arrange practical support for families, including advice on benefits, and medical supplies.
    > Whilst the need of families caring for a terminally or chronically ill child is recognised, this is multi-faceted and not necessarily one which is a direct impact of the cost-of-living crisis. The organisation has not clearly described how the cost-of-living crisis has made this situation worse for the people they support. This application was not recommended for approval because the organisation did not clearly evidence how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting the families they support. It was also noted that the organisation has a long term plan to develop their fundraising capacity and may be able to access other funding streams.
  • Single Homeless Project, which provides accomodation and mental health support in Wandsworth, applied for £15,000 to train their staff and fund psychotherapy sessions for their clients. > Whilst the organisation is supporting residents during this period of the cost-of-living crisis, the link between the crisis and the need for staff learning and development is not clearly described. Further, the organisation benefits from a substantial contract with the council and has general reserves slightly above that set by the Trustees which could contribute to this project. This application was not recommended because the link between the cost-of-living crisis and the need for staff training was not clear. It was also noted that the organisation already benefits from a substantial contract with Wandsworth Council and has reserves which it could use to cover the costs of this project.
  • Tooting and Graveney Day Centre applied for £17,228 to run their day centre for isolated older people 5 days a week. The project would provide hot meals, social activities and transport to and from the centre.
    > The project has not provided all the required documentation, and the budget is unclear with regards to the requirement for community transport... The project does not clearly demonstrate how it supports people directly impacted by the cost of living crisis. This application was not recommended because the project had not provided all the necessary documentation, and the budget was unclear. The organisation was also late submitting their annual returns to the Charity Commission and did not clearly demonstrate how the project supported people who are directly impacted by the cost of living.
  • Tooting Community Kitchen applied for £15,000 to continue running their weekly ‘Lounge/Soup Kitchen’ in Tooting for a further six months.
    > Whilst the project is providing a positive service and opportunity for older and other isolated residents to enjoy a warm space, hot meal and social activities, the project is not clearly related to supporting those directly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. Further, the organisation does not clearly evidence that it is building the capacity of its users or that of the organisation to enable them to become more resilient. This application was not recommended because the organisation did not clearly demonstrate that their project is related to supporting those who are directly impacted by the cost-of-living crisis. The organisation also did not clearly evidence that they are building capacity in their service users, or in their organisation, to enable them to become more resilient.

The committee's recommendations will be considered by the Executive at their meeting on 25 November 2024.

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