
New Community Grant Partnerships awarded
We are happy to announce £395,500 of grants over three years for five new projects across England. The grants are awarded under Smallwood’s ‘Community Grants Partnership’ model. This new model is part of Smallwood’s current strategy.
In order to remain relevant, responsive and to maximise our impact, we are transforming our grant-making to individuals. Both our own experience and independent research has found that small amounts of financial assistance can ease pressure, enabling women to focus on other areas of their lives and giving them a greater sense of control. When frontline organisations provide financial assistance, they report the relationship between themselves and the beneficiary significantly improves.
By 2021, our individual grants programme will transform into a community-led programme with frontline organisations distributing the grants on our behalf. This will shift the power for decision making to those directly supporting financially vulnerable women. Smallwood Trust will provide the funds, including those to administer the grants, a toolkit, model and support. The community-grant partners will provide practical 1-2-1 support and award grants to women, informed by their individual circumstances and need.
The five organsiations to become some of the first Community Grant Partners are: Together Women, Hull; CoLab, Exeter; Lancashire Women in Burnley, Blackpool, Accrington and Preston; The Zinthiya Trust, Leicester and The Children’s Society across four locations. They join YSS in West Mercia, InSpire in Walworth and Glasspool.
This model of funding and 1-2-1 support for financially vulnerable women will be centred on the key drivers of stability such as; housing, financial stability, employment stability and mental health and wellbeing.
For frontline organisations working in areas of need and/or reaching the most financially vulnerable women, you can find out more about our upcoming community-led individual grants programme by contacting emmacrump@smallwoodtrust.org.uk.