FAQ

Run a funders event to connect with funders with local VCS organisations

Answer:: We held an Access to Funding event on 6 October 2025 to link local VCS organisations to funders. This will be an annual event.

Support the Equalities Hubs and Networks to work more effectively together to represent the voice of marginalized communities

Answer:

The Equalities Hubs and Networks have been strengthened to enable residents with protected characteristics:

to influence council decisions and
identify the needs of VCS organisations supporting groups with protected characteristics.

The council should promote the Community Benefit Rate Reduction (CBRR) scheme and explore if it can be expanded to smaller organisations

Answer:

We will continue to offer the CBRR scheme, providing reduced lease costs for council-owned community buildings. We will work with the VCS to ensure that the scheme is:

accessible
transparent
supports a diverse range of community organisations.

We will review its community buildings policy through engagement with the sector.

Work together with the VCS to develop a plan for increasing volunteering in the borough

Answer:: We have begun working with our partners to develop a volunteering plan to promote volunteering in the borough, with the VCS and through partner organisations.

Build relationships between the VCS and corporate sector to bring in funding and other useful resources

Answer:: We will work together with VCS and businesses to find and develop new funding opportunities to support the sector across the borough.

Designing future grants programme with the VCS to ensure they meet the needs of the community and VCS organisations can apply for them

Answer:: Together we will design a replacement programme for the Mayor’s Community Grants Programme and Small Grants Programme in partnership with the VCS.

Need to support organisations to achieve their aims and develop their staff and volunteers' knowledge and skills by delivering training, development and resources

Answer:

We have established a Capacity Building Plan with the VCS, with a focus on:

supporting smaller organisations
those led by women
and/or Black, Asian & Multi-ethnic communities
wider partners to support the sector.

Which will be reviewed annually.

Provide opportunities for building the knowledge and skills of VCS and council officers by providing training and development opportunities

Answer:

We will deliver/commission training sessions to address priority areas for the VCS identified through:

engagement
annual needs assessment

Strengthen social value by developing a new strategy and toolkit, plus increasing staff resources so that the VCS can access benefits based on their needs

Answer:: We will refresh our approach to social value to make sure that the benefits secured by the programme meet the needs of smaller VCS organisations

Support tenants and leaseholders in social housing to set up and manage tenant residents' associations (TRAs) and provide support to residents to set up community food gardens to grow food and socialise

Answer:: Our Housing Community Partnership Service will provide ongoing support in these areas. It will deliver an annual capacity building programme to empower tenants in social housing to actively participate in TRAs.

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