FUND TO HELP COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY
Community groups across St Helens Borough are encouraged to apply for VOLA UK Share Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Digital Connectivity for Community Facilities Grants Programme. Round two of the programme is open for voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise groups to apply for funding between £2,000 and £10,000 to use to help support people getting online, with the money being suitable for creating new online facilities or improving existing facilities.
The funding aims to do the following:
- Target neighbourhoods where there is currently a lack of community-based digital facilities to help local organisations set up new computer drop-in facilities;
- Upgrade outdated and poor quality digital kit and/or improve broadband connectivity in community facilities, where current equipment and/or connections can be shown to be poor; and
- Increase capacity, by providing funding to buy more digital devices, where current facilities do not meet demand.
The Digital Connectivity for Community Facilities Grants Programme is funded through the Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as the local Lead Authority.
The application deadline for St Helens Borough has been extended to Friday, 11th August .
You can find out more and apply at Vola's website here: https://volamerseyside.org.uk/ukspfgrants/
COST OF LIVING SUPPORT FUND
The Government has launched a £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund to support communities most affected by the increased cost of living. The main priority of the funding is to fund organisations to support low income households and individuals. It is mainly for organisations who have faced an increase in demand (or cost) for the services they provide. Community organisations can apply for between £10,000 and £75,000 of funding. To apply your organisation must already run critical services around one of the following:
- Food and emergency supplies
- Emergency shelter
- Safe spaces
- Warmth
- Financial and housing advice
The closing date for applications is 16 October.
You can apply here: The Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund | The National Lottery Community Fund (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk)
If you have any questions about the funding opportunities above, or would like to get in touch about anything around the cost of living please contact Ben Murry on the details below:
Ben Murray
Policy and Research Manager, St Helens Council
email: BenMurray@sthelens.gov.uk