Warm welcome provision grant fund

Please read the following guidance notes before applying.

Organisation eligibility

To be eligible for this grant, you must:

• Be a voluntary community sector (VCS) or not-for-profit organisation
  • Town or parish councils are not eligible
• Be able to confirm the organisation's legal status
• Have a constitution, set of rules, or articles of association available
• Have a bank account in the name of the organisation
  • We require two people to sign this application for the bank account
  • The people who sign cannot be related or living together
  • The most recent bank statement or paying in slip is required

It is also strongly recommended that you have the appropriate policies and procedures in place to support the delivery of your project before applying.

If you require any advice on ensuring a safe environment for your volunteers and the general public, please contact the warm welcome team 

Criteria

Grant funding can only be used to support a warm welcome provision. Examples may include:

• Energy costs linked to the delivery of the project
• Food and refreshment costs
• Improving or enhancing an area through a provision
• Expenses for offering a new activity, such as equipment costs

The warm welcome provision must:

• Operate within the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth
• Be available for a minimum of 12 hours a month, for a minimum of four months, during October 2023 to March 2024
• Be open to the general public
  • No refusals based on gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, occupation, religious, political or other beliefs
• Be over and above your organisation's usual offer
  • Added value or additional provision to the community, specifically for warm welcome, is required
• Be monitored by the applicant
  • Keep monthly records of warm welcome activities (more information further down)

What will not be funded 

• Salary costs 
• Applications for retrospective funding (such as expenditure incurred prior to the approval of the grant)
• Double funding, where funding has been obtained from alternative sources for the same thing

Publicity 

The recipients of this grant fund must acknowledge the Borough Council’s support in any marketing publicity.

Application process 

To apply for a warm welcome provision grant, please complete the online grant application form.

When applying, please have at hand:

• A copy of your most recent bank statement or paying in slip
• The constitution, set of rules, or articles of association for the organisation
• If you have the policies or procedures in place, documentation to support the project:
  • Examples include, but are not limited to, public liability insurance, safeguarding policy, health and safety, or food hygiene awareness
  • If you require any advice around ensuring a safe environment for your volunteers and the general public, please complete our warm welcome contact form

Once we receive your application, we will review it as soon as possible and advise you of the outcome by email or letter. 

Payment 

Successful grant applicants will receive a single payment of £1,200 by bank transfer only and within one month of receipt of the paperwork. 

Monitoring report on activity

Successful applicants must keep monthly records of:

• How the warm welcome provision was delivered
• How many sessions were held during the period
• The number of volunteers involved
• The number of volunteer hours dedicated to warm welcome
• The number of residents who have benefitted from your project
  • If available, include a breakdown of adults and children
• The number of households supported to take up energy efficiency measures
• The additional support that has been provided to residents 
• The agencies which were signposted or referred to

General conditions 

The grant must be spent before 15 April 2024.

 If an organisation does not use the funding for the purposes outlined in this document, the council may seek to reclaim any part of the grant awarded.

Further guidance and support

If you require support on project development, policies and procedures, safeguarding, or alternative funding sources, please contact our warm welcome team

You may also find the following information on setting up a warm welcome facility in your community useful: 

• Martin Lewis: Setting up a 'warm space' (moneysavingexpert.com)

Last updated: 26/02/2024 13:57