York’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector are invited to apply for funding from the 2023-24 ‘Financial Inclusion Fund’, which is overseen by the Council’s Financial Inclusion Steering Group to help tackle financial exclusion in the city.
The Council has, for several years, funded innovative projects that promote the aims of its Financial Inclusion Steering Group. The Group is a partnership that brings together leading Councillors, senior representatives from across the Council’s Directorates and representatives of Citizens Advice York, Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, Community First Credit Union, York CVS, York Explore, the York Food Justice Alliance and the Welfare Benefits Unit to help coordinate the council’s approach to promoting and delivering Financial Inclusion.
The group’s purpose is:
‘To ensure that local people have the knowledge of and access to appropriate services, allowing them to make more informed choices to achieve and maintain financial stability’.
The main focus of the group is specifically to:
- Equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to improve and manage their lives by providing clear, coordinated advice and information, and to support them in an increasingly turbulent economic environment to make the right choices to bring about financial stability.
- Increase the awareness and understanding of the benefits system and to improve access to services.
- Align and co-ordinate existing activity and target areas of need.
- Agree measures aimed at reducing the cost of living for those in poverty for food, fuel, childcare and white goods and furniture.
Significant investment has been made in a range of projects over recent years and several projects are currently funded through to 31 March 2023. Information about the type of projects and organisations that have been awarded grants can be found under item 15 here at the Council’s Decision Session of the Executive Member for Finance and Performance on 16 March 2022.
Bids for 2023-24
Bids are now invited for funding from April 2023 for innovative one-year projects that deliver our objectives and will make a real difference to people’s lives particularly at a time when residents finances are under increasing pressure in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. Subject to approval of the Council’s budget on Feb 23rd, there could be up to £150,000 available. Schemes that have longer term sustainability, match funding and joint working are particularly welcome. Helping to secure and support the financial well-being of our citizens should be at the heart of any projects that we fund.
Successful bids will:
• have a focus on outcomes
• be specific, measurable and achievable in the period of the funding
• be delivered in the heart of our communities and Financial Inclusion Fund
• complement our Council Plan for 2019 -2023.
We also wish to encourage bids from projects that will continue to promote financial inclusion in respect of:
• supporting children and young people
• supporting those with mental health needs
• tackling fuel poverty
• embedding advice services into the community
• support for residents claiming Universal Credit
• supporting digital inclusion
• helping those who are, or at risk of becoming, homeless
• empowering individuals in communities to help themselves and help others longer term
• providing support and help ‘hard to reach’ groups and individuals within the community
• and those that particularly seek to mitigate the hardship impacts felt as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
To bid for funding please complete and return the attached Business Case template to financial.inclusion@york.gov.uk by close of business on Tuesday 21 February 2023.