Grants of up to £10,000 are available to support small, grassroots and local charities currently delivering services to the young, vulnerable, elderly, disadvantaged or the general community across the UK. The funding, which is being made available through Foyle Foundation’s Small Grants Scheme, can be used to cover projects, core costs, building projects, or essential equipment to enable ongoing service provision for charities with a turnover of less than £150,000 per annum that can show financial stability and a clear need for their services. The Foyle Foundation will close all of its grant-making programmes by the end of January 2025, and the final closing date for applications to the small grants programme is the 31st of January 2025. All projects/activities need to be completed by the end of 2025 to be eligible for consideration. Grants of up to £10,000 to Support Grassroots Charities (UK)

Join us for the launch of this timely report, commissioned by the Greater London Authority and produced by Protection Approaches, exploring the critical role of social cohesion in enhancing community resilience.

Based on in-depth research including consultation with over one hundred community and faith organisations in London, the report draws from the capital’s diverse experiences to offer insights with broad implications for resilience-building across the UK.

Date: Monday 2nd December

Time: 2pm-3pm

Location: Zoom

Register online now.

The Mayor’s Workforce Integration Network (WIN) aims to tackle labour market inequality by working with employers and civil society to address structural barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from accessing good work across key sectors in London. 

In 2024, we launched our updated Inclusive Employer Toolkits, which provide employers of all sizes in the creative and cultural, digital and technology, green, healthcare, and hospitality sectors of London’s economy with clear steps they can take to improve diversity and inclusion in their workforce. Based on original research with employees and employers in each sector, the toolkits propose steps which are specific to the current challenges and context of each sector.

WIN is pleased to announce the launch of a new Implementation Support Programme tailored for Health sectors. This support programme is free to all participants and will equip you with both improved awareness and actionable strategies to foster diverse and inclusive workplaces that drive business performance. The programme includes a series of learning sessions, events and access to a virtual knowledge hub, all with the aim to help you internalise the WIN Toolkit and gain the following benefits:

– Grow through Inclusion: Enhance both financial and non-financial aspects of your organisation.

– Modular Learning: Tailor your participation to fit your organisational needs.

– Networking Opportunities: Engage with peers within and beyond your sector.

– Expert Guidance: Benefit from insights shared by EDI and industry experts.

– Virtual Knowledge Hub: Access resources for effective toolkit implementation.

We are launching a first round of events regarding this support service, taking place in November and December. This round is intended to be an awareness-building session designed for organisations who are not familiar with the toolkits and the same workshop will be delivered on these three dates:

.     12 November, 1 – 2:30pm

.     20 November, 11am – 12:30pm

.     5 December, 3 – 4:30pm

Our delivery partners In Diverse Company, who are the organisers, will give participants an overview of the WIN toolkits and its sections, share key principles and industry best practices for the actions, highlight some foundational actions within the various toolkits, and provide case studies and examples of how the actions are being implemented in various sectors and industries. Each session will include a space for participants to have group discussions about these action areas, share their reflections/experiences, and ask questions. Future rounds of events and the launch of our virtual knowledge hub will take place in 2025.

To sign up to this new programme and confirm your attendance, please complete our survey. If this programme is not suitable for you, but you believe other organisations may benefit from participating, we would encourage you to share this with your professional networks.

Should you have any questions regarding the Inclusive Employer Toolkits or our Implementation Support service, please do not hesitate to get in touch:

E: amin.aboushagor@london.gov.uk 

M: 07763254225

We look forward to working in partnership with you to support your EDI efforts and create a more inclusive London for all.

 

More than 7,000 charities have signed a letter urging chancellor Rachel Reeves to ease the burden of an estimated extra £1.4bn per year that the sector will have to pay in employer national insurance contributions (NICs). Read more here.

Russell-Cooke, one of the legal advisors to the victims of the Grenfell Fire disaster, has welcomed the findings and recommendations set out in the final Phase 2 Report by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, and joins calls for additional measures to urgently address delays in the removal of dangerous cladding.

The report, published today, comes more than four years after the Inquiry’s Phase 1 Report, and more than seven years on from the fire at Grenfell Tower in June 2017. It presents the Inquiry’s findings following approximately 400 days of public hearings between 2020 and 2022, in which evidence was heard from expert witnesses, local authority leaders, corporate executives from the construction and property industries, as well as the bereaved, survivors, and residents (BSR) of the Grenfell Tower.

The findings cover a number of critical issues including causation, responsibility, decision making, and the dangers associated with various combinations of cladding and insulation. Read on

Hammersmith & Fulham are excited to announce the launch event for our new partner, Groundwork, who will be providing a fuel poverty service to residents and community organisations within our borough! This partnership will host a range of services such as home and telephone consultations to residents to help improve the energy efficiency of their homes and access grants available to them, host webinars, and attend outreach events for the promotion of services and grants to community organisations. The event will bring together Councillor Harvey and Councillor Harcourt, key community stakeholders, and internal council teams who support individuals experiencing fuel poverty.

This event will take place on Tuesday 19th November 14:00-15:30 at Riverside Studios, 101 Queen Caroline Street, W6 9BN.

The National Lottery Community Fund has announced a new Community Power Fund aimed at empowering local communities across England. Prior to launching the programme, the NLCF will work with partners during a one-year development phase. Supported by up to £1.2 million in funding, this phase will shape how the fund runs in the future. Between 10 and 15 community, voluntary, and public sector organisations will be supported in running new or existing initiatives to strengthen community power, particularly amongst excluded, marginalised, and underrepresented groups. Organisations will receive grants ranging from £50,000 to £80,000 each to work together on evaluating effective strategies, identifying barriers, and determining the resources needed for sustainable community power-building efforts. Expressions of interest open on the 8th January 2025. Funding to Support Community Empowerment Initiatives (England)

Individuals and families with domestic gas or energy debts ranging from £50 to £1,700 on credit or pre-payment meter accounts can apply for support through the Individual and Families grants programme. Administered by the British Gas Energy Trust, this programme provides grants to British Gas and non-British Gas customers with pre-payment or credit accounts to clear outstanding arrears with their energy supplier. Any British Gas and non-British Gas customer in England, Wales and Scotland who has sought money or debt advice and not received a grant from the Trust in the past 2 years is eligible to apply for the support. However, customers of Eon, Eon Next, EDF, Scottish Power, and Octopus should apply to their respective funds. The Fund will close when all funding has been awarded. Grants to Help People Clear Domestic Gas & Electricity Debts (England, Scotland & Wales)

Grants of up to £2,500 are available to charitable organisations for projects that tackle loneliness amongst older people and adults with a disability. The funding which is being made available through the Barchester’s Charitable Foundation offers these grants to support projects that connect or re-connect people with others in their local community. This could include activity projects, equipment and materials, member transport, and day trips.The foundation also offers grants of up to £1,000 to help individuals with mobility issues. Grants can be used to purchase wheelchairs, scooters, bikes, or car adaptations. There are no deadlines and applications can be submitted at any time. Grants of up to £2,000 for Projects Tackling Loneliness Amongst Older People and Adults with a Disability (England, Scotland and Wales)

The British Gas Trust has reopened its Energy Support Fund to help British Gas customers in England, Scotland and Wales who are struggling to pay their energy bills. The fund, which was set up in response to the rising cost of living and inflation, will provide eligible customers with grants of up to £2,000 to help clear outstanding arrears. British Gas customers with credit or pre-payment meter accounts who have sought money or debt advice, and not received a grant from the Trust in the past twelve months, are eligible to apply for support. Applications take up to four weeks to be assessed. The fund will remain open until all available funds have been awarded. British Gas Energy Trust Re-opens its Energy Support Fund (England, Scotland & Wales)