November Update

VS6 Update: November 2020 

This is a summary of relevant information, funding, schemes and events for the VS6 partnerships on a regional and national level coming up in November thus far. 

Funding & Schemes: 

In response to the current pandemic, Power to Change opened their first round of funding of the Community Business Renewal Initiative. This fund is aimed at those organisations who are focused on delivering services to those most affected by Covid-19. Grants are available between £10,000-£20,000; this money can be used for staffing costs, adaptation of community business and the continued survival of organisations. This fund is aimed at those in the most deprived areas and communities, especially those supporting and led by disabled and BAME-led or BAME- supporting businesses. Round one closed on 3rd November due to high levels of applicants. Round two and three will open on 12th January 10am-1pm and Tuesday 2nd March 10am-1pm respectively. Make a note in your diaries.  

For more information: https://www.powertochange.org.uk/get-support/programmes/community-business-renewal-fund/ 

Comic Relief have also partnered with the National Emergencies Trust, Barclays and The Clothworkers’ Foundation to launch The Global Majority Fund, which is aimed at response work in communities experiencing racial inequality. Applications close on 30th November at midday.  

They will also be holding three Zoom Q&A sessions. To register and for more info click here: https://www.comicrelief.com/funding/funding-opportunities/the-global-majority-fund/ 

Kickstart Scheme: VOLA 

The VS6 partnership has announced that VOLA will be leading the coordination of a VCFSE sector option to LCR’s Kickstart scheme. The scheme is aimed at incentivising VCFSE employers to employ young people at risk of long-term unemployment. There is a £2billion fund as part of the scheme. An expression of interest form must be completed by the 13th November. For more info: https://volamerseyside.org.uk/2020/11/04/kickstart-job-creation-scheme-expression-of-interest/ 

 Liverpool City Region Community Environment Fund 

The Community Environment Fund has been set up to aid a green Covid-19 recovery by assisting organisations to expand their environmental involvement and activities. Despite streams 1 and 2 of the Community Environment being now closed, stream 3 which focuses on smaller place-based community groups is open until 23rd November.  

For more info: https://www.liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk/community-environment-fund/ 

VS6 Partners will be joining up with Rachel Waggett (Principal Environment Officer) & Gillian Wossick (Environment Officer at LCR Combined Authority), to hold a ‘meet the funder’ session on 12th November at 10am. Community reps will have the chance to participate in an introduction to the scheme and Q&A session, in order to help them with their bid. There will be no need to formally register for this meeting, instead groups are able to join via this Zoom link:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83444211419 

 Meeting ID: 834 4421 1419 

In addition, similarly to that previously arranged in Sefton, One Knowsley will be running a localised event on the 10th November, to sign up:   

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-funder-community-environment-fund-tickets-127984349635 

(more info about the fund can also be found under this link). 

Events: 

VSNW will hold their third Festival of NW Thinking event on the 12th November ‘Beyond 2020, The Role of the VCSE sector’, which shall also include their AGM. Membership is not required to attend. However, for those of you interested, VSNW membership means that you can be part of a strategic voluntary network in the NW & learn from and share ideas with other VCSE sector organisations. 

 For more info and details on how to become a member click here: https://www.vsnw.org.uk/become-a-member 

Following the AGM, VSNW will be joined by two of the country’s leading funding organisations: Elly De Decker, England Director of The National Lottery Community Fund and Paul Streets, Chief Executive of Lloyds Bank Foundation. They will be discussing how to balance short-term emergency funding in light of the current pandemic with a look at a longer-term strategical development.  

Sarah Longlands, the Director of IPPR North and Neil McInroy, Chief Executive of CLES will be representing two leading think tanks. Their discussions will revolve around visions of the VCSE sector in the Covid-19 recovery process. 

This event is aimed at VCSE sector leaders. For more info and to register: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/beyond-2020-the-role-of-the-vcse-sector-including-vsnws-agm-tickets-121167520315 

Thank you & stay healthy.