Havering Council launches new Coronavirus Emergency Grant Initiative
Charities and community organisations in Havering, like many across the country, are under a lot of pressure to support residents and raise funds and donations due to this unprecedented crisis.
In response to this, Havering Council has launched a new way of helping these organisations by making it easier for them to get funding so they can continue to deliver much needed support for local communities in the borough.
In February 2020, the Council launched in partnership with The Fore and Havering Compact, the Havering Funding Programme.
This fund enables smaller charities, not-for-profit organisations, social enterprises and unregistered charity groups to apply for grants of up to £5,000 of emergency funding to help them continue to deliver much-needed support within their communities.
Up to £75,000 is available for this first round of emergency funding, but the Council needs the help of the community to make this go further.
To support this, the Council has now launched an online crowdfunding campaign in partnership with SpaceHive, to help voluntary and community agencies through these traumatic times so that residents whose financial circumstances allow, can donate to provide additional community support.
SpaceHive will not take a commission for the launch of this platform and the registration process is very simple on the donation page.
All money raised will be used to deliver small emergency grants of up to £5,000 to enable organisations in Havering to ensure our most vulnerable residents get the support and help they need during this period. This includes essential food supplies, prescription collections, emergency home repairs and (safe) social contact.
Panels will be held in mid and late April to help decide how the funding is fairly distributed. To make it easier it the programme will run on a rolling application basis, which is supported by a streamlined decision-making process to allow for faster grant allocation.
Councillor Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said:
“We know that these organisations are providing valued support for those in need in our communities but have been impacted by the unprecedented crisis we are in at the moment. To help we have created a £4.5m financial package of support, and made sure that small organisations benefit too by extending this financial grant so they can continue delivering the valuable help to those in need.”
Small charities, not-for-profit organisation, social enterprise or unregistered charity groups can apply for a grant by emailing their details to info@thefore.org and they will send out a short registration form that will need to be completed.
Havering residents can make a donation to support our most vulnerable residents through the SpaceHive site.