Monday 22 February 2016

New Beginnings Fund Launches in Parts of UK

The New Beginnings Fund will support local groups in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Kent, London, Lancashire, Merseyside, Birmingham and parts of the West Midlands that are working to welcome refugees and asylum seekers.

A consortium of Funders has set up the £525,000 New Beginnings Fund in support of refugees and asylums seekers coming to the UK. The funding will support local groups working to welcome refugees and asylum seekers into their local communities, through existing or new services. The fund is particularly interested in groups who are working to get their local communities involved in volunteering and supporting their work to promote integration and welcome new arrivals.
The fund is being administrated by community foundations in seven areas across the UK that have high levels of refugees and asylum seekers: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Kent, London, Lancashire, Merseyside, Birmingham and parts of the West Midlands.
There is a total fund of £525,000 for the UK. Grants of up to £10,000 are available for individual groups. In exceptional cases, grants of up to £20,000 will be considered for bids including multiple local partners.
Frontline groups working to support refugees and asylum seekers in the UK can apply.
Applications will be accepted from:
  • Registered UK charities.
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisations.
  • Companies limited by guarantee.
  • Not for profit registered Community Interest Companies.
  • Constituted community and voluntary sector organisations (with at least three unrelated committee members) with a registered bank account.
Non-constituted groups or collectives may apply if they work in partnership with an eligible organisation. The eligible organisation must be an active partner in the delivery of the work and take responsibility for the management of the grant.
Priority will be given to local groups, with turnovers of less than £250,000. Groups must be able to evidence an increase in demand for services and explain how they plan to respond using this funding.
Larger organisations with turnovers of up to £1 million are not excluded from applying for funding; however, priority will be given to smaller locally based organisations.
Faith groups may apply as long as their activities do not evangelise or proselytise religious beliefs.
The Fund will support local groups working to welcome refugees and asylum seekers into their local communities, through existing or new services.
The fund aims to achieve the following outcomes:
  • Improve access to volunteering.
  • Improve community cohesion.
  • Improve the community working together.
  • Strengthen organisations through capacity building.
  • Promote human rights and equality.
  • Reduce isolation.
  • Support vulnerable people.
It is likely to support the following types of activities:
  • Proposals from groups that are led by local refugees and asylum seekers.
  • Projects offering guidance, counselling and community integration.
  • Welcoming activities with existing local communities.
  • Groups supporting volunteering and community activities.
The fund will accept applications over a six week period.
The deadline for applications submitted to the Heart of England Community Foundation is 24 March 2016.
The deadline for the other community foundations is 29 March 2016.
(Source: Grantfinder)

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