Budget reference number

20CEX

How will the saving be achieved?

Reduction of £157k across the overall Grants budget reducing the budget from  £913,148k to £756,087 as follows

If this policy is subject to the FSD what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage?

Potential impact due to the fact that organisations who submit funding applications may operate in areas of socio-economic deprivation and / or provide services to those experiencing poverty

Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals.

The nature of grant funding means that an element of competition is inevitable between organisations. We cannot predict the level and type of organisations submitting applications and any reduction in available overall budget could impact on the planned services of any eligible groups/organisations. It is not possible to pre-empt direct impact on any specific groups or individuals. The funding support or assistance is open to all eligible CVS organisations equally. Dependant on applications received for Grants it is possible and likely that funded activity could support activity linked to protected characteristics. This is considered as part of the application and monitoring process to ensure that activities and organisational processes delivered through the funding available support and reflect equalities measures and that funded organisations have relevant policies and procedures around equalities. However, activity does not require to specifically target certain protected characteristics.

What actions / measures will be put in place or are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?

• Communication with applicant organisations regarding outcome of applications and provision of support around alternative funding routes.
• One off transition resource and support for the small number of organisations who have historically received higher levels of funding from the Grant Award Programme
• Implementation of new and reviewed GAP approach which is better aligned to localised priorities
• Equalities monitoring with community boards and delivery of LOIP’s to identify improvement actions around better targeting of activity, involvement and participation opportunities to protected characteristics groups
• Communication plan Grant programmes will be in place for elected members , local communities and Voluntary Organisations 
• Monitor the number of applications from equalities groups and undertake targeted approaches and capacity building support where there is under representation or gaps identified

This will be monitored through the monitoring and review process for all Grants, VANL SLA monitoring process and allocated monitoring officer, regular reports on progress to committee  as well as ongoing engagement and feedback from CVS organisations  through wider community activity.

What is the result/ recommendations of the EqIA?

Budget saving was agreed by full Council on 15th February 2024.