Community organisations across the county are set to benefit from funding to help them tackle inequality and social inclusion, following the announcement of the beneficiaries of the Warwickshire County Council Social Impact Fund.
21 organisations will receive funding from the £1million fund, which aims to harness the power of Warwickshire’s communities to support those disproportionately impacted by COVID, and to help the County step forward from the pandemic.
The successful applications have demonstrated a focus on financial, digital, health, social or cultural inclusion, as well as showing how they focus on “community power”. The focus on financial inclusion will be especially helpful to residents experiencing pressure on household budgets at the present time.
£400,000 of the funding is being invested in capital projects, providing long-term increases in community capacity and sustainable impact.
Cllr Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture said:
“The Warwickshire Social Impact Fund will make a real impact in the heart of our communities. There was an excellent standard of applications, and I am so pleased we have been able to award funding to 21 organisations who, day-to-day, make a tangible difference to the lives of the people they work with.
“During COVID, Warwickshire’s incredible communities played a vital role, with the grass roots response crucial to our collective efforts to support vulnerable people and our progress as we step forward towards recovery.”
“We launched this £1million fund to invest in a “community powered” approach and through the fund we want to be able drive forward Warwickshire’s recovery from COVID and address some of the inequalities that exist within our communities, and I am confident that the beneficiaries of the fund will ensure this happens.”
The fund was launched by Warwickshire County Council in November 2021 at the Community Powered Warwickshire Big Conversation, which saw the Council come together with private, public, and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations to discuss how they can build stronger, more sustainable, and more equal places and communities.
The fund is closely aligned to the Council’s refreshed Council Plan and reflects the principles of reducing social inequality as set out in the Levelling Up White Paper 2022.
The Foundation administered the fund on behalf of the Council.
Tina Costello, CEO at the Foundation said:
“The Foundation is honoured to have a part to play in this huge investment into our Warwickshire communities. The community groups that work on the ground day to day have shown passion and resilience in this time of crisis so it’s wonderful that we can give back to them and support their lifechanging services. We look forward to seeing these projects and capital builds come to life to create happier, healthier lives in the County!”
Details of the Warwickshire Social Impact Fund beneficiaries can be found on: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/wsif
If you’d like to apply for funding please view our Available Grants here.