Have your say on Lewisham council’s Main Grants consultation – deadline Thursday 22nd July
The Council’s Main Grants programme funds voluntary and community organisations providing support to some of Lewisham’s most vulnerable residents. Support for voluntary and community sector groups remains a core priority for the Council and, in partnership with the NHS, the Council will continue to invest over £2.3 million per annum through this programme.
However the Council is having to save £40m from its budget in the next three years, following the unprecedented costs of Covid-19 and historic reductions in the cash available from central government. This means the budget for the main grant to voluntary organisations will be reduced from 1 April 2022.
In order to best meet the needs of the borough, the Council proposes to focus on supporting voluntary and community groups in developing stronger organisational infrastructure, better coordination with their partners and in effective fundraising, rather than trying to directly fund everything that is needed in the borough.
The Council is also proposing new priorities in line with the Council’s overall approach to recovery, following a thorough review of all available evidence on the impact of COVID, and the recovery needs of the Borough:
- An economically sound future (specifically Advice Services and Enabling Digital Access for All)
- A healthy and well future
- A future we all have a part in
The above themes are also reference in Lewisham Council’s Future Lewisham, the new recovery plan following the Covid-19 pandemic.
There are several ways to respond to this consultation:
- Visit the online portal here: https://consultation.lewisham.gov.uk/corporate-policy-and-governance/main-grants-consultation/
- By post to:
Community Development Team,
2nd Floor, Laurence House,
1 Catford Road,
London SE6 4RU
(Please email main.grants@lewisham.gov.uk or call 020 8314 7249 for a hard copy of the consultation).
If you need support to take part, please e-mail the Council at main.grants@lewisham.gov.uk or call on 020 8314 7249.
The deadline for submissions is 22nd July