The funding has been awarded through the Covid-19 Community-Led Organisations Recovery Scheme (CCLORS). The scheme is led by independent trust Power to Change in partnership with Locality, The Ubele Initiative and Social Investment Business, and is part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, that launched in May this year.
69% of the grants awarded went to BAME-led organisations, whilst 86% went to organisations that were BAME-supporting, demonstrating the fund’s commitment to helping those communities most affected by Covid-19.
Grants of up to £100,000 were awarded to community-led organisations in England that are facing severe financial difficulties as a direct result of the coronavirus lockdown. It has helped them to launch health and wellbeing projects, develop digital education workshops and continue providing vital services for their communities.
Vidhya Alakeson, CEO of Power to Change, said: “Whilst Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on people right across the country, it has disproportionately affected Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. By bringing together this strategic partnership, we’ve ensured this much-needed financial support is reaching those communities that need it most.”
Case studies
Impact Brixton CIC is a BAME-led shared office space in Brixton, south London, and is the only Black-owned co-working space in England. The organisation was awarded £47,700 to stabilise the business in the short-term, but they also plan to design and launch a digital business recovery programme to support small, local businesses that need basic digital education to help them adapt and innovate.
Bangladeshi Women’s Association Limited aims to improve the quality of life of residents in Tipton and the wider Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell in the West Midlands. The organisation will use a £10,135 grant to provide specialist tailored counselling support to vulnerable BAME individuals within Tipton/Sandwell, including professional facilitated bereavement group support.
The Pelican Centre in Tyldesley in Greater Manchester is a community hall, swimming pool and gym serving the community of Tyldesley, Leigh and the surrounding areas. The organisation has been awarded a £45,000 CCLORS grant to provide activities such as canoeing, first aid training and volunteering opportunities for members of the community, to break down barriers to help bring the community together focusing primarily on those who are socially isolated and helping to integrate migrant ethnic minorities and their families living in the community.
The Pepper Pot Centre, based in Ladbroke Grove, West London, supports members of the elderly African-Caribbean community. They received a £24,000 grant to fund an outreach support worker who will liaise with members and provide essential support systems for them to keep them safe, healthy and able to maintain their sense of independence throughout the crisis.
Yvonne Field, Founder and CEO of The Ubele Initiative, said: “The CCLORS programme has surfaced almost one and half thousand groups, the majority of whom are BAME-led and BAME-serving and previously under the radar of our partnership. The reach of this programme has helped us see and now acknowledge the vibrancy of the sector and groups’ ability to pivot during extremely challenging times. They have risen to the challenge creating imaginative responses to some of those in our communities most impacted by Covid-19.
“Ubele is proud to have contributed to the design and delivery of this programme and our staff and associates look forward to supporting some of the organisations which were awarded grants over the coming months.”
Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Locality, said: “These grants come at a critical time for community organisations who are making a significant impact on people’s lives during this period.
“Halifax Opportunities Trust works with families and individuals to promote wellbeing, education and employment. Birmingham Settlement operates a hub and provides money advice, ageing well projects and youth initiatives. Both are examples of the power of community in action. We are offering a range of additional support measures alongside the grants to help organisations to take stock, plan next steps, and share and learn from each other.”
Nick Temple, Chief Executive of Social Investment Business, said: “At Social Investment Business, we provide finance to create fairer communities and improve people’s lives. Given how Covid-19 has affected communities and exacerbated existing inequalities, we are particularly pleased to have worked on the CCLORS scheme. It shows that with an expert partnership and a co-ordinated approach to design, delivery and decision-making, a much more diverse range of organisations can get support.”
*Please note, we are going through a process of reviewing our terminology, including the use of the term ‘BAME’, and will complete this review in 2021.