The Grants Determination (Cabinet) Sub-Committee met on 9 April 2025, and approved changes to the application process for the Emergency Fund, and noted a performance report on the Mayor’s Community Grant Programme (MCGP). The Sub-Committee also noted a report on funding that had been allocated to voluntary and community sector organisations under delegated authority.

Review of Emergency Fund

The Sub-Committee approved changes to the application processes and procedures for the Emergency Fund, as well as a revised Emergency Fund prospectus. The changes are designed to align the fund with the council’s new Corporate Grants Framework.

During the meeting, officers clarified that organisations applying for emergency funding would be subject to additional measures to ensure sustainability and accountability.

The updated prospectus includes:

• Additional eligibility criteria, ensuring organisations meet standards of governance, management and financial competence. Applicants will be expected to provide confirmation of bank details, a safeguarding policy (if working with children or vulnerable adults), and current insurance cover.
• Clarification of potential areas of support that would not be funded.
• A revised application form, including an organisation section to check applicants meet requirements and an emergency fund proposal section to gather information on the emergency, the applicant's response, proposed use of funds, financial position and long-term viability.
• Confirmation of scoring criteria: applicants need to pass all criteria in the organisation section and score at least 51 points in the emergency fund proposal section.

Mayor’s Community Grant Programme (MCGP) Performance

The Sub-Committee noted the performance of the Mayor’s Community Grants Programme (MCGP) for October to December 2024.

Of the 110 projects originally funded, 108 were rated green, one was rated amber, and one project had its funding withdrawn.

The Sub-Committee requested to join officers on visits to organisations who are part of the MCGP, and suggested that officers undertake more unannounced visits, with the findings reported in future performance reports.

The MCGP has five themes:

• Tackling the Cost-of-living crisis
• Accelerate Education
• Culture, Business, Jobs and Skills
• Invest in public services
• Empower communities and fight crime

The report included a summary of achievements for each theme, collated from individual project reports. Geographical information, broken down by ward, was also included in the Project Summary.

One project, Tower Hamlets Parents Centre’s Women’s Health Matters, was rated amber due to the October - December 2024 monitoring return not being received. The Grants Officer is working with the organisation to resolve technical issues that have prevented submission.

VCS Funding Awarded Under Delegated Authority

The Sub-Committee noted a report on funding awarded to Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations under delegated authority since the last meeting.

The report provided an update on the Emergency Funding, Community Benefit Rent Reduction, and Small Grants Programme 2023-2027.

There had been no Emergency Fund awards since the last meeting.

A Community Benefit Rent Reduction (CBRR) Panel was held on 23 January 2025, and details of awards made will be included in the next report.

The Small Grants Programme 2023 – 2027, which provides £800,000 of annual grant funding between November 2023 and March 2027, had completed two rounds of bidding for 2024/25.

In Round 1, 79 projects were recommended for funding, for a total of £211,889. In Round 2, 65 projects were recommended for funding, for a total of £161,934.

The recommendations were approved by the Director Strategy, Improvement and Transformation under delegated authority for Round 1 and the Director of Finance for Round 2 following agreed change of delegated authority on 6 November 2024 GDSC.

The Sub-committee requested that any underspend of grant funding be placed aside for further grant schemes, and that future reporting include a breakdown of organisational spending, with greater details of the organisation, including lead officers and size of the organisation. This should be reported every six months.

The VCS Strategy 2020-2024 sets out the policy to support VCS activities in the borough.

The council’s Strategic Plan 2022-26 sets out eight priorities designed to improve outcomes for residents.

The S.92 Police Act 1996 allows local authorities to make agreements with police forces to pay for additional policing services in their area.

The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law.

The London Child Protection Procedures set out how agencies in London should work together to safeguard children and young people.

The Subsidy Control Act 2022 sets out the rules for granting subsidies in the UK, and aims to ensure that subsidies are used in a way that delivers value for money and benefits the UK economy.

Blackbaud Grant Management is a software system used by Tower Hamlets Council to manage grant applications and awards.

Tell Mama is a national project that supports victims of anti-Muslim hate and monitors anti-Muslim hate incidents.

Citizens UK is a national community organising charity.

VAWG stands for Violence Against Women and Girls.

FGM stands for Female Genital Mutilation.

SNT: Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

PIP stands for Personal Independence Payment.

UC50 is a form used to assess a person's capability for work as part of a Universal Credit claim.

RARPA stands for Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement, and is a method of assessing and recognising learning outside of formal qualifications.

Ascentis is an awarding organisation that develops and awards qualifications for further education.

AQS is a quality accreditation standard for voluntary and community organisations.

SWEMWBS stands for the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and is a scale of 14 positively worded items, with a five-point scale ranging from 'none of the time' to 'all of the time'.

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service.

DHP stands for Discretionary Housing Payment.

PIP stands for Personal Independence Payment.

QC stands for Queen's Counsel, and is an appointment conferred to those who have demonstrated particular skill and expertise in the conduct of advocacy.

LGA stands for Local Government Association.

SIA stands for Security Industry Authority.

CSCS stands for Construction Skills Certification Scheme.

ACAS stands for Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

DLR stands for Docklands Light Railway.

ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

BAME stands for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.

LGBT+ is a common abbreviation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender.

NEET stands for Not in Education, Employment, or Training.

VAWG stands for Violence Against Women and Girls.

FGM stands for Female Genital Mutilation.

SNT: Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

SEND stands for special educational needs and disability.

CIC stands for Community Interest Company.

AQS is a quality accreditation standard for voluntary and community organisations.

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator.

THCVS stands for Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service.

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service.

D/deaf is a term used to describe people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

HoH: Hard of Hearing.

ELOP: East London Out Project.

BAME: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.

IAG: Information, Advice and Guidance.

VAWG stands for Violence Against Women and Girls.

PRU stands for Pupil Referral Unit.

RARPA stands for Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement, and is a method of assessing and recognising learning outside of formal qualifications.

S.92 Police Act 1996 allows local authorities to make agreements with police forces to pay for additional policing services in their area.

ACAS stands for Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service.

DHP stands for Discretionary Housing Payment.

PIP stands for Personal Independence Payment.

QC stands for Queen's Counsel, and is an appointment conferred to those who have demonstrated particular skill and expertise in the conduct of advocacy.

LGA stands for Local Government Association.

SIA stands for Security Industry Authority.

CSCS stands for Construction Skills Certification Scheme.

DLR stands for Docklands Light Railway.

ESOL stands for English for Speakers of Other Languages.

NEET stands for Not in Education, Employment, or Training.

VAWG stands for Violence Against Women and Girls.

FGM stands for Female Genital Mutilation.

SNT: Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

SEND stands for special educational needs and disability.

CIC stands for Community Interest Company.

AQS is a quality accreditation standard for voluntary and community organisations.

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator.

THCVS stands for Tower Hamlets Council for Voluntary Service.

DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service.

D/deaf is a term used to describe people who are deaf or have hearing loss.

HoH: Hard of Hearing.

ELOP: East London Out Project.

BAME: Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic.